Boston Red Sox: Mookie Betts simply marvelous in MVP-type season
Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts finished his marvelous 2018 season with yet another achievement furthering his claim for league MVP.
The Boston Red Sox has finished the regular season with 108 victories following 10-2 win over the New York Yankees in the regular-season finale at Fenway Park on Sunday afternoon.
Like so many games this season, it wouldn’t be a celebration without mentioning some achievement obtained by the marvelous Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts. Three-homer games, hitting for the cycle, reaching the 30-30 club or making some kind of outstanding defensive play. This was simply the year of Betts and he capped it off by winning his first career American League batting title.
Speed, power and consistency at the played summed up Mookie Betts in 2018. Add to that a contagious smile and a growth in leadership and you have the making of the best baseball player in the league.
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Sorry Mike Trout, but Mookie does more things to help his team win. The fact that he finished the season batting .346 from the leadoff spot showcased a player who set the tone for many of those 108 victories and a player who will be a factor in how far the Boston Red Sox go in the playoffs.
And just days after reaching his 30-30 feat, Betts talked about how much it means to him to add a batting title to his young resume of accomplishments.
"“Yeah, it’s definitely an achievement,” Betts said following the game, via MLB.com. “I’m happy to take something like that, especially when only two people win it. It’s a blessing and I don’t take it for granted.”"
Like the 108 wins, this all means nothing if the Boston Red Sox get bounced from the playoffs early. With their current pitching conundrum both in the starting rotation and bullpen, the Red Sox offense will have to show up.
Mookie Betts needs to take his talents into October
That’s where Mookie Betts will be needed. In his past playoff appearances, he didn’t really show up. So, how he performs during these playoffs will really show his greatness and if he is truly ready to claim the best player in baseball title.
Another player who has made an MVP-type impact in Boston is J.D. Martinez. The veteran slugger has witnessed the greatness of Betts firsthand and believes in his teammate’s impact on the field as well as his impact in the clubhouse.
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"“Unbelievable. An MVP-type season. If he’s not the MVP, I don’t know who is really,” Martinez said. “I don’t know how to say it, but he’s been that player that’s really stepped up for us, all the way around, and he’s consistent, he grinds, he sets a really good example, on the field and in the clubhouse. He’s as good as advertised I guess you can say.”"
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With a somewhat down year sandwiched in between, Mookie Betts has shown in both 2016 and 2018 that he is a player who can be the face of this Boston Red Sox team. In finished the regular season with a 1.078 OPS, 32 home runs, 89 RBIs and 30 stolen bases, he is also proving to be the face of baseball.
Capturing October is all he has left to do.