Los Angeles Dodgers star right fielder Mookie Betts knows how important it is for the athletes to have souvenirs that remind them of important milestones in their careers. This is why he went to great lengths to make sure Cincinnati Reds rookie TJ Friedl kept the ball he hit his first MLB home run with.

Friedl hit a homer after a pitch from Tony Gonsolin in the sixth inning and returned to the dugout. The ball was already caught by the fans, and he knew that the chances of getting it back were zero to none. However, Betts, who witnessed the homer and recognized its importance for Friedl, decided to do something about it.

Betts got the attention of the fan that caught the ball and asked him to return it. In exchange, he promised to give him another ball. The fan immediately obliged and threw the ball to Betts, who passed it to the Reds’ dugout.

“I just asked him for the ball. I just told him kind of [through] sign language,” Betts told reporters after the game. “I just said, ‘I’ll throw you another ball, but that’s his first home run, can you throw it back?’ He didn’t hesitate. He threw it right back.”

The fan that gave the ball back ended up getting something even better. Betts quickly returned to make good on his word and gave him a signed bat.

After getting his first home run ball, Friedl was emotional and full of praise for Betts.

“Thank you is all I can really say because it means so much,” said Friedl. “Just to get that ball back, for it to be my first home run, just for him to know that and turn around to the fan.”

The game against the Dodgers was the second in the majors for TJ Friedl, with him being elevated to Cincinnati’s active roster the day before. The hit that resulted in a home run was also Friedl’s first in MLB in only his second at-bats appearance.

The post Mookie Betts Makes Sure Reds Rookie TJ Friedl Keeps First Home Run Ball appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions for the first time since 1988.

The Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 to clinch the series in Game 6, getting the franchise its seventh title and first in over 30 years.

While nothing can be taken away from the great Dodgers team, many will remember Game 6 as a game that was lost by the Rays coaching staff.

Namely, Rays manager Kevin Cash pulled ace pitcher Blake Snell in the sixth inning, even though he was pitching lights out and obviously had plenty more in the tank.

This led to the Dodgers offense immediately taking advantage of Rays reliever Nick Anderson to take the lead.

While in the game, Snell dominated the Dodgers’ batters, holding them to two hits and striking out nine in 5 1/3 innings. Snell was pulled after Austin Barnes hit a single off him in the sixth inning. He had only thrown 73 pitches at that point.

Six pitches into Anderson’s time on the mound, the Rays 1-0 lead turned into a 2-1 deficit. Dodgers star Mookie Betts hit an insurance home run in the eighth, which was more than enough for the Dodgers to win the game and the title.

The win also gives future Hall of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw his first title, which was the only thing missing from his incredible MLB resume.

The post The Los Angeles Dodgers Win World Series appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It looks like the Dodgers’ decision to sign outfielder Mookie Betts to a huge contract is paying off.

Betts’ bat was on fire on Thursday night, hitting three home runs against the San Diego Padres.

On his first trip to the plate, Betts was hit by a pitch, but after that, he did all of the hitting.

This was the sixth time in Betts’ career that he has hit three home runs in one game. There are only two other players in history who have done the same, legendary slugger Sammy Sosa and Johnny Mize.

Considering the fact that Betts is only 27 years old, there’s a good chance that he’s going to hit three dingers in a game a few more times before his career is over, which will make him the outright record holder in that category.

After hitting three straight home runs, Betts ended up hitting an infield single in the bottom of the seventh inning. All in all, he finished the day 4-4, with three home runs and 5 RBI. Not too shabby.

Earlier this year, Betts signed a 12-year mega-extension with the Dodgers worth a whopping $365 million. He is hitting .319/.380/.694 with seven home runs, six doubles, 15 RBI and 14 runs this season.

The post Betts Joins Historic Company with Another Three-Home-Run Performance appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It appears that All-Star right fielder Mookie Betts will commit his future to LA Dodgers without playing a single game with the franchise. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the two sides are close to finalizing a “massive deal” in the upcoming days.

NBC Sports’ Lou Merloni also reported that sources close to the situation told him Betts will sign on 10 or more years. The overall value of the deal is expected to be from $350 million to $400 million.

Mookie Betts previously rejected the $300 million offer from Boston Red Sox offered him early in the year, after which he was traded to Dodgers. The 27-year-old all-star initially intended to play out his deal in LA and hit the free agency next year, but it appears he changed his plans in the meantime.

If the reported numbers check out, the deal represents a big coup for Betts. It was previously projected that he’ll need to take a pay cut due to financial difficulties caused by coronavirus pandemic and that he might lose around $100 million.

Betts spent the previous six years of his MLB career in Boston. He won a World Series with Red Sox in 2018, while winning the AL MVP Award in the same year.

Betts, who is four-time All-Star, has a .301 career batting average alongside 139 home runs, 470 RBIs, and 126 stolen bases.

The post Mookie Betts Close to Massive Extension Deal with Dodgers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts isn’t afraid to admit that he is still unsure whether or not the 2020 MLB season will actually take place in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Betts, who was traded to the Dodgers as part of a mega-deal with the Boston Red Sox last offseason, stated in a press conference with team reporters via a video call that he isn’t completely convinced that the 2020 season will actually take place.

The past few days have seen baseball stars such as Braves 1B Freddie Freeman and Rangers OF Joey Gallo test positive for the virus as well as players like the Braves’ Nick Markakis and the Dodgers’ David Price say that they will skip the season due to health concerns.

Betts said in the press conference that he is not completely convinced that the league’s safety protocol will be successful and that all players will be able to attain to it.

The Dodgers outfielder, the 2018 AL MVP, and a four-time All-Star is set to play one season in Los Angeles before hitting the free-agent market next offseason.

It seems as if he still has significant doubts, however, as to whether or not he will actually suit up in Dodger blue.

The post Dodgers OF Mookie Betts “Has Doubts” About MLB Season Taking Place appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Baseball season is just around the corner, with the beginning of the MLB season just starting in April.

The National League is set to be a competition filled with powerhouse teams and star players. The Washington Nationals, the surprise winners of the league and the World Series last season, have a strong roster, but do they have one of the league’s top MVP candidates?

Let’s take a look at the top three NL MVP candidates for the 2020 season.

Christian Yelich, Brewers

The 2018 NL MVP finished in second place in a close vote for the 2019 award, coming in just behind Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. He looks to be one of the favorites for this year’s award.

The outfielder batted .329 last season with 44 home runs and 97 RBI despite only playing in 130 games due to injury. Expect more big production from the California native, who just agreed to a 9-year, $215 million extension with his team, in 2020. A great eye at the plate and a power surge that coincided with his trade from the Marlins to Milwaukee has turned him into one of the top players in the league, and expect his production to continue in 2020.

Mookie Betts, Dodgers

The biggest trade of the 2019-20 MLB offseason sent perennial All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers, establishing a new big star in the National League.

Betts and Yelich were named MVPs in the same season, with the Nashville native having won the award in the American League during his tenure in Boston. A move to Los Angeles places the talented outfielder in the middle of a stacked lineup, which should lead him to drive in even more runs than he has in previous seasons.

Expect Betts to compete for the hardware in his first year as a Dodger.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves

Acuña is one of the top young stars in baseball. The Braves center fielder was exceptional in 2019 at the ripe age of 21, finishing the year with 41 long balls and 37 stolen bases.

Expect the young Venezuelan talent to continue his rise in 2020 for a team that looks to contend for a World Series title. Acuña improved his plate discipline in the 2019 season, a development that led him to post a higher-than-expected .365 on-base percentage along with his power production.

Power-speed combinations like Acuña’s are rare in today’s game and don’t be surprised if his gaudy home run and stolen base totals lead him to compete for the MVP Award.

The post NL MVP Candidates to Keep an Eye on in 2020 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Boston Red Sox would probably like to keep All-Star right fielder Mookie Betts for years to come, but the decision might be out of their hands. Betts still hasn’t agreed to an extension, showing intention to enter the free agency following the 2020 MLB season, which forced Red Sox to start thinking about trading the 27-year-old.

In his recent ESPN+ piece, MLB Insider Buster Olney wrote that Red Sox are exploring the market for Betts and presented the interested teams with an asking price. And it isn’t cheap.

Olney reports that Boston intends to get both out of bad contracts and get “two high-end prospects” in any deal involving Betts. The player that Red Sox would like to ship off is David Price and his $96 million deal, with Nathan Eovaldi being the second choice.

Although nominally the Red Sox’s starting pitcher, Price hasn’t exactly lived up to his seven-year, $217 million contract he signed with the organization ahead of the 2016 MLB season. That was especially the case in the past season, as he only played 22 games, posting 7-5 records with 4.28 ERA and 128 strikeouts. 

While the asking price is high, some teams might decide to meet it, especially if they believe they can sign Mookie Betts to an extension. Betts is one of the best players in baseball at his position and was a key contributor in Red Sox’s World Series run in 2018, winning the AL MVP in the process. He is also a four-time All-Star with three Silver Slugger and four Golden Glove awards.

Betts played 150 games in 2019, batting .295 with 29 home runs, and 135 RBIs.

The post Red Sox’s Price For All-Star Mookie Betts Revealed appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Boston Red Sox’ right fielder Mookie Betts is one of the best players in baseball at the moment, and it is expected that he will get one of the biggest deals in MLB history once he hits free agency in 2020. Red Sox, however, hope he won’t have a chance to explore the free market as they want him to remain the face of their franchise.

In his recent article for The Athletic, sportswriter Peter Gammons recently quoted an unnamed Red Sox’ executive who said that the organization is willing to pay big money to Betts if he wants to stay in Boston.

“If Mookie wants to stay in Boston, we’ll pay him,” – said the executive. “We want him to be the face of the franchise.”

This might not be enough to keep Betts with the team, as the 26-year-old rejected Red Sox’ approaches for contract negotiations so far.

“He’s rejected our outreach in the past. We have to know if he’s open to signing a year before he hits free agency at the end of next season,” – the executive added.

If Mookie Betts doesn’t sign the contract extension during the next offseason, Boston Red Sox will reportedly consider trading him, as they can’t afford to lose him.

Betts emerged as Red Sox’ leader in recent years thanks to his standout performances. He has four consecutive All-Star appearances and was the most significant factor in the team’s World Series run last season when he also won the AL MVP honors.

Betts played 122 games in 2019 so far, and he is currently batting .281 with 20 home runs and 63 RBIs. He also scored the most runs in the American League this season.

The post Red Sox Willing to Pay Big Money to Reigning AL MVP Mookie Betts appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Dodgers star right fielder Mookie Betts knows how important it is for the athletes to have souvenirs that remind them of important milestones in their careers. This is why he went to great lengths to make sure Cincinnati Reds rookie TJ Friedl kept the ball he hit his first MLB home run with.

Friedl hit a homer after a pitch from Tony Gonsolin in the sixth inning and returned to the dugout. The ball was already caught by the fans, and he knew that the chances of getting it back were zero to none. However, Betts, who witnessed the homer and recognized its importance for Friedl, decided to do something about it.

Betts got the attention of the fan that caught the ball and asked him to return it. In exchange, he promised to give him another ball. The fan immediately obliged and threw the ball to Betts, who passed it to the Reds’ dugout.

“I just asked him for the ball. I just told him kind of [through] sign language,” Betts told reporters after the game. “I just said, ‘I’ll throw you another ball, but that’s his first home run, can you throw it back?’ He didn’t hesitate. He threw it right back.”

The fan that gave the ball back ended up getting something even better. Betts quickly returned to make good on his word and gave him a signed bat.

After getting his first home run ball, Friedl was emotional and full of praise for Betts.

“Thank you is all I can really say because it means so much,” said Friedl. “Just to get that ball back, for it to be my first home run, just for him to know that and turn around to the fan.”

The game against the Dodgers was the second in the majors for TJ Friedl, with him being elevated to Cincinnati’s active roster the day before. The hit that resulted in a home run was also Friedl’s first in MLB in only his second at-bats appearance.

The post Mookie Betts Makes Sure Reds Rookie TJ Friedl Keeps First Home Run Ball appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions for the first time since 1988.

The Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 to clinch the series in Game 6, getting the franchise its seventh title and first in over 30 years.

While nothing can be taken away from the great Dodgers team, many will remember Game 6 as a game that was lost by the Rays coaching staff.

Namely, Rays manager Kevin Cash pulled ace pitcher Blake Snell in the sixth inning, even though he was pitching lights out and obviously had plenty more in the tank.

This led to the Dodgers offense immediately taking advantage of Rays reliever Nick Anderson to take the lead.

While in the game, Snell dominated the Dodgers’ batters, holding them to two hits and striking out nine in 5 1/3 innings. Snell was pulled after Austin Barnes hit a single off him in the sixth inning. He had only thrown 73 pitches at that point.

Six pitches into Anderson’s time on the mound, the Rays 1-0 lead turned into a 2-1 deficit. Dodgers star Mookie Betts hit an insurance home run in the eighth, which was more than enough for the Dodgers to win the game and the title.

The win also gives future Hall of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw his first title, which was the only thing missing from his incredible MLB resume.

The post The Los Angeles Dodgers Win World Series appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It looks like the Dodgers’ decision to sign outfielder Mookie Betts to a huge contract is paying off.

Betts’ bat was on fire on Thursday night, hitting three home runs against the San Diego Padres.

On his first trip to the plate, Betts was hit by a pitch, but after that, he did all of the hitting.

This was the sixth time in Betts’ career that he has hit three home runs in one game. There are only two other players in history who have done the same, legendary slugger Sammy Sosa and Johnny Mize.

Considering the fact that Betts is only 27 years old, there’s a good chance that he’s going to hit three dingers in a game a few more times before his career is over, which will make him the outright record holder in that category.

After hitting three straight home runs, Betts ended up hitting an infield single in the bottom of the seventh inning. All in all, he finished the day 4-4, with three home runs and 5 RBI. Not too shabby.

Earlier this year, Betts signed a 12-year mega-extension with the Dodgers worth a whopping $365 million. He is hitting .319/.380/.694 with seven home runs, six doubles, 15 RBI and 14 runs this season.

The post Betts Joins Historic Company with Another Three-Home-Run Performance appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It appears that All-Star right fielder Mookie Betts will commit his future to LA Dodgers without playing a single game with the franchise. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the two sides are close to finalizing a “massive deal” in the upcoming days.

NBC Sports’ Lou Merloni also reported that sources close to the situation told him Betts will sign on 10 or more years. The overall value of the deal is expected to be from $350 million to $400 million.

Mookie Betts previously rejected the $300 million offer from Boston Red Sox offered him early in the year, after which he was traded to Dodgers. The 27-year-old all-star initially intended to play out his deal in LA and hit the free agency next year, but it appears he changed his plans in the meantime.

If the reported numbers check out, the deal represents a big coup for Betts. It was previously projected that he’ll need to take a pay cut due to financial difficulties caused by coronavirus pandemic and that he might lose around $100 million.

Betts spent the previous six years of his MLB career in Boston. He won a World Series with Red Sox in 2018, while winning the AL MVP Award in the same year.

Betts, who is four-time All-Star, has a .301 career batting average alongside 139 home runs, 470 RBIs, and 126 stolen bases.

The post Mookie Betts Close to Massive Extension Deal with Dodgers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts isn’t afraid to admit that he is still unsure whether or not the 2020 MLB season will actually take place in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Betts, who was traded to the Dodgers as part of a mega-deal with the Boston Red Sox last offseason, stated in a press conference with team reporters via a video call that he isn’t completely convinced that the 2020 season will actually take place.

The past few days have seen baseball stars such as Braves 1B Freddie Freeman and Rangers OF Joey Gallo test positive for the virus as well as players like the Braves’ Nick Markakis and the Dodgers’ David Price say that they will skip the season due to health concerns.

Betts said in the press conference that he is not completely convinced that the league’s safety protocol will be successful and that all players will be able to attain to it.

The Dodgers outfielder, the 2018 AL MVP, and a four-time All-Star is set to play one season in Los Angeles before hitting the free-agent market next offseason.

It seems as if he still has significant doubts, however, as to whether or not he will actually suit up in Dodger blue.

The post Dodgers OF Mookie Betts “Has Doubts” About MLB Season Taking Place appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Baseball season is just around the corner, with the beginning of the MLB season just starting in April.

The National League is set to be a competition filled with powerhouse teams and star players. The Washington Nationals, the surprise winners of the league and the World Series last season, have a strong roster, but do they have one of the league’s top MVP candidates?

Let’s take a look at the top three NL MVP candidates for the 2020 season.

Christian Yelich, Brewers

The 2018 NL MVP finished in second place in a close vote for the 2019 award, coming in just behind Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. He looks to be one of the favorites for this year’s award.

The outfielder batted .329 last season with 44 home runs and 97 RBI despite only playing in 130 games due to injury. Expect more big production from the California native, who just agreed to a 9-year, $215 million extension with his team, in 2020. A great eye at the plate and a power surge that coincided with his trade from the Marlins to Milwaukee has turned him into one of the top players in the league, and expect his production to continue in 2020.

Mookie Betts, Dodgers

The biggest trade of the 2019-20 MLB offseason sent perennial All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers, establishing a new big star in the National League.

Betts and Yelich were named MVPs in the same season, with the Nashville native having won the award in the American League during his tenure in Boston. A move to Los Angeles places the talented outfielder in the middle of a stacked lineup, which should lead him to drive in even more runs than he has in previous seasons.

Expect Betts to compete for the hardware in his first year as a Dodger.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves

Acuña is one of the top young stars in baseball. The Braves center fielder was exceptional in 2019 at the ripe age of 21, finishing the year with 41 long balls and 37 stolen bases.

Expect the young Venezuelan talent to continue his rise in 2020 for a team that looks to contend for a World Series title. Acuña improved his plate discipline in the 2019 season, a development that led him to post a higher-than-expected .365 on-base percentage along with his power production.

Power-speed combinations like Acuña’s are rare in today’s game and don’t be surprised if his gaudy home run and stolen base totals lead him to compete for the MVP Award.

The post NL MVP Candidates to Keep an Eye on in 2020 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Boston Red Sox would probably like to keep All-Star right fielder Mookie Betts for years to come, but the decision might be out of their hands. Betts still hasn’t agreed to an extension, showing intention to enter the free agency following the 2020 MLB season, which forced Red Sox to start thinking about trading the 27-year-old.

In his recent ESPN+ piece, MLB Insider Buster Olney wrote that Red Sox are exploring the market for Betts and presented the interested teams with an asking price. And it isn’t cheap.

Olney reports that Boston intends to get both out of bad contracts and get “two high-end prospects” in any deal involving Betts. The player that Red Sox would like to ship off is David Price and his $96 million deal, with Nathan Eovaldi being the second choice.

Although nominally the Red Sox’s starting pitcher, Price hasn’t exactly lived up to his seven-year, $217 million contract he signed with the organization ahead of the 2016 MLB season. That was especially the case in the past season, as he only played 22 games, posting 7-5 records with 4.28 ERA and 128 strikeouts. 

While the asking price is high, some teams might decide to meet it, especially if they believe they can sign Mookie Betts to an extension. Betts is one of the best players in baseball at his position and was a key contributor in Red Sox’s World Series run in 2018, winning the AL MVP in the process. He is also a four-time All-Star with three Silver Slugger and four Golden Glove awards.

Betts played 150 games in 2019, batting .295 with 29 home runs, and 135 RBIs.

The post Red Sox’s Price For All-Star Mookie Betts Revealed appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Boston Red Sox’ right fielder Mookie Betts is one of the best players in baseball at the moment, and it is expected that he will get one of the biggest deals in MLB history once he hits free agency in 2020. Red Sox, however, hope he won’t have a chance to explore the free market as they want him to remain the face of their franchise.

In his recent article for The Athletic, sportswriter Peter Gammons recently quoted an unnamed Red Sox’ executive who said that the organization is willing to pay big money to Betts if he wants to stay in Boston.

“If Mookie wants to stay in Boston, we’ll pay him,” – said the executive. “We want him to be the face of the franchise.”

This might not be enough to keep Betts with the team, as the 26-year-old rejected Red Sox’ approaches for contract negotiations so far.

“He’s rejected our outreach in the past. We have to know if he’s open to signing a year before he hits free agency at the end of next season,” – the executive added.

If Mookie Betts doesn’t sign the contract extension during the next offseason, Boston Red Sox will reportedly consider trading him, as they can’t afford to lose him.

Betts emerged as Red Sox’ leader in recent years thanks to his standout performances. He has four consecutive All-Star appearances and was the most significant factor in the team’s World Series run last season when he also won the AL MVP honors.

Betts played 122 games in 2019 so far, and he is currently batting .281 with 20 home runs and 63 RBIs. He also scored the most runs in the American League this season.

The post Red Sox Willing to Pay Big Money to Reigning AL MVP Mookie Betts appeared first on SportzBonanza.