Dodgers' Mookie Betts Reveals Retirement Timeline

Los Angeles Dodgers star shortstop Mookie Betts remains one of the better players in baseball, despite him being in the back-half of his career.

Betts, now 33, has continued to find ways to make an impact on the field for Los Angeles, and he has helped the club find all sorts of success since his blockbuster trade from the Boston Red Sox.

But even he knows that his career isn't going to last forever, and due to his age, Betts has started to think about the end. Betts was asked about how he thinks his final stretch will go and when he plans to call it a career.

The Dodgers superstar was very honest about the idea of retirement, saying that he plans to play until the end of his contract with Los Angeles. Betts is in the middle of a 12-year, $365 million deal that he signed with the Dodgers before the 2020 season, and his contract is set to expire at the end of the 2032 season.

“We’ll see. We’ll get to the end here [of the current contract] and we’ll see. But I’m probably going home after this," Betts said to the Orange County Register.

Betts was asked whether he would consider taking a page out of another Los Angeles superstar's book: LeBron James of the Lakers. James is currently 41 years old and still playing at a high level, but the Dodgers star doesn't seem to want the same longevity.

“Not at all. I’m nothing like LeBron,” Betts said. “I want to be with my kids at 45."

Betts has been with the Dodgers for six full seasons, and is currently in his seventh. His time in Los Angeles has been understated, and sometimes he can be under-appreciated for what he has done for this organization.

Many people will point to the arrival of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and others as the reason why the Dodgers have started to win World Series titles. But in fact, it was Betts' arrival before the 2020 season that jump-started everything.

Once Betts came to the Dodgers, the team snapped its long 32-year World Series drought. It was Betts' impact on the team that allowed this organization to break through, paving the way for how Los Angeles has been in recent years.

Yes, the team has spent a lot of money on other stars following the trade of Betts, but without him, none of this would be possible. Betts has helped this organization win three rings so far, and he is looking for more before he does ultimately calls it a career.

Even at age 33, Betts can still play at a high level, and he will be a major piece in the Dodgers' attempt at a three-peat this season. But even though he likely isn't planning to play into his 40s, fans can take comfort in the fact that he will be around for many more years under his current contract.

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