Dodgers Interview: Mookie Keeps the Focus on What He Can Control
LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts stood in front of his locker after an 8–2 loss and kept it measured. He had two hits, including that jolt of a first-inning triple, but the Dodgers never found the big swing to match Philadelphia’s late surge. The series heads to Thursday with Los Angeles still up 2–1. Betts focused on what comes next more than what went wrong.
Asked if Kyle Schwarber’s two homers meant the Phillies’ stars were “awake,” Betts stayed in his lane. “I don’t have to pitch to him, so I don’t have to worry about that,” he said. “I just have to take care of what I can take care of, and that’s my effort and my attitude toward tomorrow’s game.”
His own night started with that rocket to right-center off Aaron Nola. Betts didn’t hide the frustration of coming up empty after reaching third with one out. “Yeah, for sure. Definitely was a missed opportunity,” he said. “But that’s part of it. Nola made some pitches to get himself out of it and he did a good job, and their pitching staff did a really good job tonight.”
When Ranger Suárez took over, the Dodgers never quite solved him. Betts tipped his cap. “He’s pretty much always successful,” he said. “He’s one of the premier pitchers in the league. If Ranger Suárez can take the ball for any team, I’m pretty sure they would be happy and feel like they have confidence to win that game. I don’t think we had much success then, and kind of the same. He’s a really good pitcher.”
Even after a rough night, he pushed back against the vibe that the Dodgers had lost control of the series. “Yeah, the consensus of this interview feels like we’re eliminated,” he said with a small smile. “So I think we have to understand that we’re still up 2–1. Obviously there’s a lot of pressure on us to play the game, but pressure is a privilege, and just go out and play it.”
Why are close-out chances so tough around sports, and in baseball in particular? Betts did not overcomplicate it. “I don’t know. They’re just hard,” he said. “It’s hard to explain. I just know that it’s hard to put teams away, and I don’t have an answer for that.”
So how do you flip the script by tomorrow? Betts kept it simple. “We do the same thing we always do,” he said. “Tomorrow’s a new day. It’s going to bring new opportunities, and so we’ll see.”
The clubhouse was asked about Clayton Kershaw’s difficult relief stint. Betts chose the wide view. “It’s hard to watch,” he said. “But we can’t use two innings. He’s going to have a statue in front of Dodger Stadium, so we have to keep that in mind and understand that in the grand scheme of things Kershaw is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, one of the best pitchers to ever do it. If you let two innings ruin that, then you don’t know baseball.”
Attention now turns to Tyler Glasnow, who starts Game 4 after a week of unusual usage. Betts expressed trust. “I’ve never pitched, so I don’t know how that’s going to work,” he said. “But I have confidence in him and I think he’ll be ready to go.”
It was a night of chances missed and lessons logged. Betts did not make excuses. “Missed opportunity,” he said again of the first inning. He also did not let the moment swell beyond the facts. “We’re still up 2–1,” he said. “Pressure is a privilege.” And with that, he moved the conversation toward Thursday. “Tomorrow’s a new day,” he said. “New opportunities.”
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