How Will the Dodgers Manage Mookie Betts After Offensive Down Year in 2025? Insider Answers

Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) walks against the Toronto Blue Jays in the tenth inning during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Mookie Betts had a very unlike-Mookie Betts season in 2025.

There are several factors that could contribute to this. The Los Angeles Dodgers' star shortstop had a very strange stomach virus that led to him losing at least 20 pounds right before the year started.

Already a slim and slender guy, the massive weight loss clearly led to a lessening in his overall strength. It put him behind the proverbial 8-ball and delayed his usual routine leading up to Opening Day.

Turning 33 in October, Betts is also aging as a player. It may be too much to expect the Betts of old when he was routinely hitting around the .300 mark. The demands of playing shortstop on a daily basis is also not forgiving on anyone — especially a player on the wrong side of 30.

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BREAKING: Mookie Betts reveals he will not play for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic as the birth of his third child is expected around the same time 🚨

“She (Brianna Betts) said she’d divorce me if I wasn’t there.” 😅

🎥: Adin Ross/Kick pic.twitter.com/TaBGGdej7u

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) December 18, 2025

For all of those reasons, it's not surprising Betts hit only .258 (lowest of his career) with 20 homers and a .732 OPS (also the lowest of his career).

Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic was asked about Betts and his status moving forward during a recent mailbag. Ardaya broke down the struggles Betts had — and also admitted that he doesn't believe the team is overly worried, given the fact he'll presumably have a full (and healthy) offseason to get his body ready.

"The Dodgers are essentially banking on it being a one-year downswing caused by 1) an offseason where his usual swing work was replaced by a shortstop boot camp and 2) a stomach virus that sapped his strength right at Opening Day. The reality is, it’s hard to completely parse out blame for what happened with Betts’ 2025 season. But the hope is that a normal offseason for him (where the work at shortstop won’t have to be as extreme) will set him up for offensive improvement."

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Ardaya further delved into the reality that Betts has become a premier defensive shortstop. Having said that, the move won't be permanent — and the team is still hoping that the bat can turn around, given his value to the ballclub and how he's produced in the past.

"He’s turned himself into an elite defensive shortstop, which lowers what the Dodgers really need from him offensively to be a productive player – he produced more Baseball Reference WAR in 2025 than he did in 2024 – but he won’t stick at the position forever, and the team would love to get more juice out of his bat again."

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.