“That’s not the case”: Mookie Betts shuts down all talk as fans blame his slump on shortstop move

Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts has been going through a rough patch at the plate in recent weeks. Even though the Dodgers have done well overall in the 2025 MLB season so far, Betts’ numbers have dipped.

The 31-year-old, who started playing shortstop this season, has cleared the air on what’s really behind his recent offensive struggles.

Mookie Betts makes bold statement after silence over Dodgers struggles says position change is not hurting his hitting

On Thursday, June 5, 2025, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the Dodgers played the final game of a four-game home series against the New York Mets. The Dodgers won the game 6-5 after coming from behind. Mookie Betts played well, going 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored. He also hit the first run of the game for the Dodgers.After the win, Betts spoke to reporters and addressed the talk about his hitting slump. Many thought his new role as starting shortstop might be the reason for his dip in batting. But Betts shut down those rumors.“That’s not the case,” Mookie Betts said, as reported by MLB.com. “You can try and point out whatever you want to do, but there are no excuses. It’s just a matter of me getting it done.”

Betts has not played in the outfield this year.

He’s been a full-time shortstop since Opening Day in April 2025. Before this switch, he mostly played right field. He said that he actually did more defensive work last season when he had MVP-level numbers.“Last year, I was going to win an MVP. So, you can’t really argue about that,” Betts added during the postgame media session on June 5. “I was doing way more work last year than now.”Also Read: Mookie Betts Suffers Bizarre Toe Injury, Sidelined For Dodgers' High-Stakes Yankees Series Opener

Mookie Betts is coming back from injury but says it’s not an excuse

Mookie Betts missed four games before the Mets series after injuring his toe.

He came back on Monday, June 2, and played three games. In those three games, he went 4-for-11, which is better than the 7-for-34 he had in the eight games before the injury.Earlier in the 2024 season, Mookie Betts was off to a strong start, but in June 2024, he suffered a fractured left hand after getting hit by a pitch. That injury kept him out for nearly two months. After returning, he was moved back to the outfield and helped the Dodgers finish strong.Betts ended the 2024 season with a .289 batting average, 19 home runs, and 75 RBIs in 116 games. He had a 4.8 bWAR and ranked 13th in the National League MVP race.