While he has never considered himself a power hitter, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts will compete in the Home Run Derby on July 10 in Seattle.
Betts, 30, leads the Dodgers with 20 homers and will be making his first appearance in the derby after his wife suggested he take on the challenge.
“You know, the wife. She said, ‘You got to do it,'” Betts told reporters with a laugh. “The last thing I haven’t done, so I’m going to do it. Have fun with it, and we’ll see what happens.”
Betts was named the starting right fielder for the National League All-Star team on Thursday, his seventh selection and said recently that he would participate in the Home Run Derby if he was named to the NL squad.
Betts is the 10th Dodgers player to compete in the derby and the first since Joc Pederson in 2019. No Dodgers player has ever won the event.
He joins the Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez and the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the field, with five additional participants still to be announced.
Betts entered Friday batting .260 with 51 RBIs and 61 runs scored in 77 games this season.
–Field Level Media