GLENDALE, Ariz. – On the back of Mookie Betts’ baseball card, his 2025 numbers stand out like an ugly weed in an otherwise well-tended garden. His batting average (.258), on-base percentage (.326), slugging percentage (.406) and OPS (.732) were all easily the lowest of a career filled with All-Star appearances and Top 10 MVP finishes (seven including a win in 2018). The lone individual bright spot for Betts last season was his status as a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop, validating all the work he put into the transition from right field. Things got so bad for Betts that he declared his season “over” in early August, vowing to ignore his individual performance the rest of the season and...
