When the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Mookie Betts, they did it with the hope he could replicate the 2018 performance he had with the Boston Red Sox.
That year, he slashed .346/.438/.640 with 32 home runs, 129 runs, 80 RBI, and 30 stolen bases: he obviously won the MVP award.
After that, he had three great, but not otherworldly years, but now, in 2022, he is reaching a similar level than that of 2018.
“Mookie Betts has a 164 wRC+ (184 PAs). Only time he’s finished with a higher wRC+ than that was his MVP year in 2018,” The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya tweeted.
Mookie Betts has a 164 wRC+ (184 PAs). Only time he’s finished with a higher wRC+ than that was his MVP year in 2018.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) May 24, 2022
That stat, wRC+, means weighted Runs Created Plus.
According to MLB, “wRC+ quantifies run creation and normalizes it, so we can compare players who play in different ballparks and even different eras.”
wRC+ is adjusted to a league-average scale: 100 is average, and anything higher is above-average; and anything lower is below-average.
He Has Produced 72 Percent More Than The Average Hitter
Betts’ current 172 wRC+ (it went up after Ardaya’s tweet) means he has produced 72 percent more than the average hitter in MLB.
Although he is awfully close, Betts’ current wRC+ mark is still a hair below his 2018 185 mark.
Betts already helped deliver a World Series championship to the Dodgers, their first since 1988, in 2020.
This year, he is slashing .292/.385/.578 with 12 home runs, 44 runs scored, 30 RBI, and even three stolen bases.
He has also played his customary elite defense in the outfield, too.
At 2.7 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), he is among the leaders in MLB when it comes to contributions to his team.
He remains an elite talent, one that should be one of MLB’s stars for years to come.
The Dodgers are fortunate to have Betts on their roster for the long term.
NEXT: Dodgers Insider Highlights Mookie Betts' Dominant Stretch