Dodgers: Mookie Betts Shares His Biggest Reason for Playing in WBC is Mike Trout

Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts told the media on Thursday that the main reason he's playing in the World Baseball Classic is to be teammates with Mike Trout.

Dodgers right-fielder Mookie Betts has shared the outfield with Angels superstar Mike Trout several times over the years when both played on the American League All-Star team. Now that Betts is in the National League, that opportunity doesn't come around much anymore.

Lucky for them, Tennessee and New Jersey are both in the United States of America, which means they're both eligible to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. And as Mookie told the media on Thursday, that was his main motivation for opting to play.

#Dodgers Mookie Betts said a big reason he decided to play for Team USA in the WBC is because of Mike Trout.

"We don’t get to share the field very often. Now, never. So, to be on the same side playing with him and all the other guys, really, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) February 16, 2023

Betts and Trout have developed a friendly rivalry over the years. In 2016, Betts finished second behind Trout in the AL MVP voting; two years later, Mookie returned the favor and beat out runner-up Trout for the award. In each year from 2016-19, the two outfielders were teammates on the All-Star team, leading the AL to victory each time.

There wasn't an All-Star Game in 2020, Mookie's first year in the National League, but the two stars have been opponents in the Midsummer Classic in each of the last two years. It will be fun to see them as teammates once again.

Joining Betts and Trout on Team USA are fellow Dodgers Clayton Kershaw and Will Smith, former Dodger Trea Turner, and reigning NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt. Los Angeles third-base coach Dino Ebel fills that same role on manager Mark DeRosa's coaching staff.

Team USA starts their WBC action on March 11, taking on Trayce Thompson's Team Great Britain at Chase Field in Phoenix.