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Mookie Betts went 0-for-3 with four routine fly balls in Monday’s comeback win over the Colorado Rockies and afterward offered a blunt self-assessment: he’s not confident with his mechanics right now and knows he’s been overthinking and anxious at the plate, per staff reporting at DodgerBlue.com. The 33-year-old is slashing just .165/.230/.342 across 79 at-bats this season, and it’s gotten worse since his return from the injured list — .157/.200/.294 in 12 games back.

Those numbers are jarring when you consider who we’re talking about. Betts is a former AL MVP, a six-time All-Star, a Gold Glove winner at multiple positions, and one of the best all-around players of his generation. He signed a 12-year, $365 million extension with the Dodgers before the 2024 season specifically because he’s the kind of franchise cornerstone you build around. His career slash line coming into this year was in the neighborhood of .290/.370/.510 — elite by any standard. Watching him flail at .165 is disorienting, and hearing him openly admit to being anxious tells you he feels it just as much as we do.

The timing matters. Betts missed time earlier this year on the IL, and returning from injury always carries an adjustment period — your timing is off, your confidence lags behind your physical readiness. But 12 games back is enough runway where you’d hope to see at least some positive signs. Four routine fly balls in a single game suggests he’s getting under everything, which tracks with a hitter whose swing plane is off or who’s being too passive and reactive rather than hunting pitches. When Betts is right, he’s an aggressive, decisive hitter who punishes mistakes. Right now, by his own admission, he’s second-guessing himself.

I don’t think this is a panic situation — not yet — but it’s a legitimate concern. Betts isn’t some young player who might not figure it out. He has a long track record of elite production and the self-awareness to diagnose what’s wrong. The fact that he’s being this honest about where his head is at actually gives me some confidence that the adjustment is coming. Guys who deny there’s a problem tend to stay stuck in the problem longer. Betts knows he’s anxious, knows he’s overthinking, and knows his mechanics are off. That’s step one.

For the Dodgers, though, we need step two to happen soon. This lineup is already dealing with Max Muncy being out after getting hit by a pitch, and Will Smith getting days off to reset through his own slump. Having your leadoff hitter and best position player producing at replacement level puts enormous pressure on everyone else. The win over Colorado was nice, but we can’t keep relying on comebacks while the top of the order sputters. The Dodgers have enough depth to absorb a cold stretch, but Betts isn’t a depth piece — he’s the engine. The sooner he gets right, the sooner this lineup looks like what we expected it to be in April.

Source(s): Staff (DodgerBlue.com) | First reported: May 26, 2026 4:32 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers