Dodgers’ MVP prospect strikes set of homers, consisting of No. 250 of his profession, vs. Braves
6: 41 AM UTC
LOS ANGELES– It would be tough to discover a regular-season match that showcased as much skill on the field as Dodger Stadium did on Thursday night.
From here on out, the Braves and Dodgers, certainly the 2 finest groups in the National League, will fight it out for the front runner– with the winner making the opportunity to host a theoretical Game 1 and 7 of a prospective NLCS match.
A face-off in between the 2 juggernauts likewise permitted fans to enjoy the leading 4 prospects for NL MVP on the very same field. And while Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson are definitely in the discussion, it was Mookie Betts and Ronald Acuña Jr. who took the program in the Dodgers’ 8-7 loss to the Braves in the opener.
With the loss, the Dodgers was up to 5 video games behind the Braves for the front runner in the National League. The season series is likewise now connected at 2 video games each, with 3 video games staying.
” You’re viewing the video game, you’re attempting to win the video game, however it’s difficult not to view those 2 people go head to head,” stated Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts. “Fans, media, individuals wish to see the very best carry out. To see what Ronald did and after that to see how Mookie responded to, it was excellent to see him react like that.”
Acuña got the face-off began in the 2nd inning, smashing a grand slam off Dodgers right-hander Lance Lynn, who had his worst start because signing up with Los Angeles, enabling 7 runs over 4 1/3 innings.
A couple of innings later on, Betts made certain to advise the Braves– and the rest of the baseball world– that he’s perhaps the frontrunner for NL MVP after among the very best months of his profession. With the Dodgers tracking by 6 runs in the 5th, Betts cut the deficit in half, smacking a three-run homer off NL Cy Young competitor Spencer Strider.
The homer was Betts’ 250 th profession blast and his 50 th base hit in August, which matched the L.A. Dodgers’ record for the majority of hits in any month. In his next at-bat, Betts chose to upgrade both of those numbers.
Betts got on the very first pitch he saw from Joe Jiménez and skied it simply over the wall in left field to tape his 38 th homer of the season, extending his profession high. It was the 6th multi-homer video game of the year for Betts, whose 51 strikes in August are the most by a Dodger in any month given that the group transferred to Los Angeles.
” I’m not betting Ronald Acuña. I’m betting the Braves. We’re attempting to beat the Braves,” Betts stated. “He’s terrific. Remarkable individual. Take definitely nothing far from him. I’m not playing versus him.”
While Betts might be right, Acuña may be the gamer standing in between him and the 2nd MVP prize of his profession. After keeping himself in the discussion the majority of the season, the Dodgers’ super star took it to another level in August.
Aside from the 51 strikes this month, Betts likewise struck.455 with 11 homers and 30 RBIs. He likewise occurred to rating 35 runs. When you take a look at the Dodgers’ 24 -5 record in August, it mainly began with Betts’ production. In general, his 1.033 OPS leads the NL this season.
” I believe he desires it bad,” Roberts stated of Betts’ desire to win the MVP honors. “He’s driven by winning champions, however I do believe that having the chance to be acknowledged as one of the most Valuable Player in the National League is something that matters. I do not believe that there’s anything incorrect with that.”
As Betts crossed home base after his 2nd homer of the night, the loudest MVP chants of the season broke out at Dodger Stadium.
Most individuals anticipate this Braves and Dodgers series to be a postseason sneak peek, however seldom do these sorts of matches measure up to the buzz.
Betts and Acuña, however, made certain to surpass it– and will be fighting it out in more methods than one the remainder of the method.
” [Betts] and I have an actually good relationship,” Acuña stated. “We talk whenever we get the opportunity. We talked a little today throughout the video game. We’ll see how the MVP race ends up.”
