PHOENIX โ After a few days away, Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts returned to Camelback Ranch over the weekend, now a father of three after his wife, Brianna, gave birth.
The 33-year-old Betts said earlier in camp he was looking to ease into spring training ahead of his 13th major league season in an effort to turn the page from a career-worst statistical year in 2025. There have been encouraging signs as heโs hitting .316 in Cactus League play, which includes a home run in Sundayโs split-squad win over the Chicago Cubs.
โI just want to get better,โ Betts said. โIโm not content with being where Iโm at. I want to continue to get better in life and everything, and you know, be able to kind of teach my son how to be great. You know, Iโve got to go through it first. When youโre open-minded, thereโs endless possibilities.โ
Betts kept an open mind when he first learned of teammate Yoshinobu Yamamotoโs unique workout routine, which includes javelin throwing, yoga, and working with personal trainer Osamu Yada. Betts credits his improved defense at shortstop to the new training methods that heโs adopted.
โIโm not fully in his whole routine,โ Betts said of Yada, who is often referred to as Yada Sensei. โBut I wake up every morning and do my stretch routine that Sensei showed me, throwing the javelins every day. I think throwing javelins is the reason why I can make a play in the hole like that and throw it in the air on a line. Iโm really grateful for Yoshi and Sensei, because they have definitely changed my perspective, changed my life, changed my game.โ
Betts graded as a below-average defender in his first season at the shortstop position in 2024, posting a minus-6 in Defensive Runs Saved and a minus-3 in Outs Above Average. Last season, he saw a sizable improvement, leading MLB shortstops in DRS (plus-17) and placing in the top-third in OAA (plus-6).
It wasnโt hard for Betts to look at Yamamoto and think that the Japanese superstar may have been onto something.
โSo I mean, Yoshi came over and [got] $300 million, and he hadnโt even thrown a pitch over here,โ Betts said. โSo, Iโm pretty sure he does something right.โ
Betts has yet to see the workouts translate offensively, but expects that to come in due time.
โHe said eventually Iโll feel where it helps me hitting, but I havenโt gotten to that point yet,โ Betts said. โI think he should be back, so youโll see us back working, and eventually Iโll get it, but he said it will take a little time.โ
In the meantime, Betts believes heโs found an easy fix that should return him to the MVP-caliber player he had been for close to a decade. Betts says he lost 10 mph in bat speed last season.
โI think the most important part is now that I think Iโm 178 [pounds] now, almost 180, so Iโm able to just have speed,โ Betts said. โWhen I lost all the weight, I was down 10 mph in speed. Youโve got guys throwing 100 mph with a slow bat, itโs going to be hard to do. Itโs not an excuse, but itโs a fact. So, now Iโve got my speed back, I donโt have to hurry up and make decisions so fast.โ
Said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts: โI like where heโs at physically. He looks stronger.โ
A stomach illness prompted Betts to lose 15 to 20 pounds last spring, putting him behind the eight-ball, and he never quite caught up after that.
โ[I was] down 10 mph in bat speed,โ Betts said. โDo you know how hard it is for somebody that weighs 160 [pounds] to gain bat speed, to gain strength and play a game all at the same time during the season? Itโs tough to do. I tried it. I failed at it. But weโre in a new spot now, and weโll try to stay here.โ
