Much has been made of Mookie Betts’s woes at the plate during the 2025 World Series. Betts is 3-for-23 in the series, and he himself said following Game 5 that he’s been “terrible”, an admission that garnered praise for its honesty and sense of accountability. The question remains, what exactly is wrong with Betts? Perhaps it’s just another MLB slump that doesn’t a clear cause. One theory has emerged in recent days suggesting that Mookie’s move to shortstop this season (he played right field last year) has overburdened his body, making him less effective as a hitter. Mookie Betts (age 33) this October: .234/.319/.328 for a .647 OPS with 0 HRs. Under contract through his age 39 season in 2032. Owed $155m over those 7 years and then will still be owed $115m deferred from 2033 through 2044. The LA Dodgers have a massive problem on their hands pic.twitter.com/1BX658mno1— Ben (@TheHurricaneBen) October 30, 2025 “Whatever happened to the Dodgers’ bats?” The New York Post‘s Jon Heyman wrote on Thursday (subscription required). “Whatever happened to Mookie Betts’ bat? The future Hall of Famer … was “demoted” for Game 5 from second in the order for to third, which is the traditional marquee spot. The two-hole hitter needs to be on his game because it’s the spot after the great Shohei Ohtani.” Story continues below advertisement “Remarkably, Betts has transformed himself into arguably the best defensive shortstop in MLB to aid the team for the good of the team,” Heyman continued. “But one rival suggested the transition has made him lose his legs, and his offense, and next year he should go back to right field, where he was also the best in the game.” “He’s far from alone in his struggles (28 runs in their last eight games),” Heyman added. “As Freddie Freeman put it, they need to give Ohtani help.” The good news for Betts and the Dodgers is that there is still time to shift the narrative. A clutch hit from Mookie in Game 6 or a potential Game 7 would do much to erase all of his struggles and leave behind a positive legacy from the 2025 postseason, especially if the Dodgers are able to pull off a comeback and win the title. Story continues below advertisement