Dodgers Interview: Mookie Owns Up to Baserunning Blunder in Loss to Astros
"It was a misread, for sure."
LOS ANGELES — After the Dodgers’ 6–4 loss to the Astros on Saturday night, Mookie Betts didn’t shy away from discussing the play that may have cost his team a chance to tie the game. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Betts led off with a sharp double to left—but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple, snuffing out a key scoring opportunity with the heart of the lineup due up.
Betts explained his thinking on the play, calling it a clear misread.
“When I was running, I thought, ‘If he throws it and I see it not going toward third base,’ I’m going,” Betts said. “It was more toward the shortstop, so I just kept going because I figured it was behind him. Usually the third baseman is lined up to third, but he wasn’t in line with third. So yeah—it was a misread, for sure.”
With the Dodgers trailing by one and nobody out, it was a costly mistake. Manager Dave Roberts said after the game that it was a moment that called for caution, not aggression, and Betts didn’t disagree.
That said, the Dodgers’ leadoff man has been swinging the bat better over the last few games, including a solo home run in the first inning. Asked if he’s starting to feel more locked in at the plate, Betts wasn’t ready to commit to a hot streak just yet.
“Every time you guys have asked me this question, I went 0-for-20 next,” he said with a hint of resignation in his voice. “So… we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
As for the bigger picture, Betts kept things in perspective. The Dodgers have had to patch together their lineup and pitching staff for much of the season, and despite the recent losses, they still own one of the best records in baseball.
When asked how it felt to see young arms stepping up and reinforcements like Tyler Glasnow expected back soon, Betts was pragmatic. “It don’t matter. We got to finish healthy,” he said. “We’ve only been healthy for like a week. So we’ll see at the end.”
Betts’ mix of honesty and dry humor has long been a hallmark of his postgame demeanor. On Saturday, he owned the moment, didn’t offer excuses, and kept his focus where it belongs: on getting better—and getting healthy—for the long haul.
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