Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts has hit a lot of home runs in his MLB career, 253 of them to be exact. But the Dodgers’ shortstop has never hit one that compares to his latest effort in the MLB World Tour: Seoul Series on Thursday.
With the Dodgers trailing the Padres 10-6, Betts stepped to the plate against Padres pitcher Michael King and worked the count to his favor before absolutely smashing a baseball over the fence in left-center. The ball traveled 400 feet and brought home Jason Heyward to bring the score within reach at 10-8.
While hitting a home run overseas may be a moment he never forgets, the real treat, aside from helping his team narrow the deficit, was the fact that Betts’ home run also won him a brand-new car.
The Hyundai Motor Company is based out of South Korea, which makes it the perfect establishment to partner with the MLB Tour Seoul Series. Part of the agreement included giving away a brand new car to whoever hit the first home run during the two-game series.
Thus, when Betts cranked his home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, he won a new Hyundai IONIQ 5.
The first HR of the 2024 season belongs to @mookiebetts! #SeoulSeries pic.twitter.com/PtSrfxBHNY
— MLB (@MLB) March 21, 2024
Betts’ home run was the first of the MLB season, which is crazy considering 16 runs had already been scored, in addition to another seven more on Wednesday. Yet, only Betts will be taking home a new car.
Related: Yoshinobu Yamamoto fails to escape second inning, gets rocked in Los Angeles Dodgers debut