Nobody Expected This: Mookie Betts Abruptly Walks Away From a Sport He Used to Dominate

Pickleball has become a massive sport seemingly overnight throughout the United States.

Dodgers' Mookie Betts Reveals He's Done Playing One Non-Baseball Sport :  r/DodgersNewsandRumors

If you aren’t playing it, you probably know someone who is — whether that’s a friend, sibling, parent, uncle, aunt, or co-worker.

Pickleball courts are popping up faster than acne on a kid’s face going through puberty. With the rise of the sport even being televised on streaming services, it could very quickly become among the most popular sports in the country.

As fate would have it, Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts has also gotten into the craze. It’s not shocking considering Betts is objectively speaking one of the most talented people on Earth.

His teammates often praise him for being excellent at virtually every single thing he tries — especially other sports.

Pickleball appears to be no exception. Betts’ hand-eye coordination, quickness, and agility seems like a perfect fit for the sports.

Having said that, it doesn’t look like he’ll be on a pickleball court anytime soon.

An ESPN article written by Jesse Rogers spoke about how the sport has become hugely popular within MLB circles. This, of course, includes the Dodgers. According to Rogers, the team was actively participating in pickleball during spring training.

Betts may have been involved last year, but this year is a different story.

“I’m done. I don’t play anymore. I got hooked on golf again,” Betts said. “I’m playing shortstop now. I don’t have time to be doing all that running and stuff.”

The Dodgers' Mookie Betts still wants more Black people in MLB stadiums -  The Washington Post

To be sure, golf is far less taxing on one’s body. With Betts playing the most physically demanding position on the diamond, he can ill-afford to have some sort of muscle pull (or even worse) playing pickleball.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman also echoed this sentiment within the article. While dissuading Betts from playing appeared to be true, this premise also extends to virtually every other member of the team as well:

“We had many a conversation about it last spring,” Friedman said. “I don’t think it’s a great thing for the Dodgers’ ultimate success for a lot of guys to be playing pickleball.”

Related Posts

Jose Siri to miss 8-10 weeks with fractured tibia

The Mets’ outfielder won’t be back until late June at the earliest.

Mets’ Carlos Mendoza Sends Francisco Lindor Message After Phillies Game

The New York Mets are now tied for MLB’s best record after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 on Monday, and star shortstop Francisco Lindor is a big…

Stats show the truth behind the Mets’ dominant pitching staff

The New York Mets have quietly put together a well-oiled pitching lab, and the results speak for themselves with some dominant numbers and performances

How worried should Yankees fans be about Devin Williams after another rough outing?

It’s early, but Devin Williams’ rocky start is unfamiliar territory for Yankees fans, who have every reason to raise an eyebrow.

Yankees Urged to Trade for $200 Million Rival Who Derailed 2 World Series Runs

  Though they sit atop the American League East standings with a 14-9 record, the New York Yankees have some underachieving position players and starting pitchers likely…

Jazz Chisholm Jr. Gives Latest on His One-Game Suspension Appeal

Jazz Chisholm Jr. has bigger things to worry about than the one-game suspension hanging over his head. The New York Yankees second baseman, who was ejected during…