Career Timeline of Mookie Betts: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Mookie Betts made an impact.

Markus Lynn "Mookie" Betts is a highly decorated MLB player currently with the Los Angeles Dodgers, previously starring for the Boston Red Sox. A versatile player, he has played outfield, shortstop, and second base. His accolades include eight All-Star selections, seven Silver Slugger Awards, six Gold Glove Awards, and four World Series championships. In 2018, he was named the American League's Most Valuable Player. Betts consistently ranks among the top players in MLB, especially in Wins Above Replacement (WAR). He also represents the United States in international baseball competitions.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2011: Drafted by the Red Sox

In 2011, Betts was drafted by the Red Sox.

2011: Drafted by Red Sox and Signed

In 2011, the Boston Red Sox selected Betts in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball draft, and he later signed with the team for a $750,000 bonus, foregoing his commitment to the University of Tennessee.

2011: Joined 30-30 club

On September 26, 2018, Betts stole his 30th base of the season, becoming just the second player in Red Sox history to join the 30–30 club (the first was Jacoby Ellsbury in 2011).

2012: Played for Lowell Spinners

In 2012, Betts played 71 games for the Lowell Spinners, batting .267 and stealing 20 bases.

2013: Reached Base in Consecutive Games

In 2013 and 2014, Betts reached base in 66 straight regular-season games plus five playoff games for a combined streak of 71 games.

2013: Started playing outfield

In mid-May 2013, Betts began playing the outfield in addition to second base.

2013: Started Season with Greenville Drive

Mookie Betts started the 2013 season playing for the Greenville Drive of the Low A South Atlantic League and batted .296 in 76 games.

2013: Promoted to Salem Red Sox

On July 9, 2013, Betts was promoted to the Salem Red Sox. He completed the season with a combined .314 average, 15 home runs, and 38 steals between Greenville and Salem. He was named Offensive Player of the Year and Breakout Player of the Year in the Boston minor league system and was also a second-team inclusion on the Baseball America Minor League All-Star Team.

2014: Reached Base in Consecutive Games

In 2013 and 2014, Betts reached base in 66 straight regular-season games plus five playoff games for a combined streak of 71 games.

2014: MLB Debut

In 2014, Betts made his MLB debut, playing both second base and outfield.

2014: Started season with Portland Sea Dogs and Promoted to Pawtucket Red Sox

Mookie Betts began the 2014 season with the Portland Sea Dogs, batting .355 in 54 games. On June 3, 2014, he was promoted to the Pawtucket Red Sox, batting .322.

2014: Split season among Double-A, Triple-A, and MLB

Mookie Betts split the 2014 season fairly evenly among Double-A, Triple-A, and MLB, playing 52 major league games and hitting .291 with five home runs.

2014: First Career Grand Slam

On August 29, 2014, Mookie Betts hit his first career grand slam against Rays pitcher Chris Archer. On September 11, 2014, manager John Farrell announced that Betts would play second base "fairly regularly" due to injuries.

April 6, 2015: Home Run on Opening Day

On April 6, 2015, Mookie Betts hit a home run in his second at-bat on Opening Day against the Philadelphia Phillies, becoming the third youngest player to do so for the Red Sox.

2015: Named AL Player of the Week

Mookie Betts was named the American League (AL) Player of the Week for the week ending on June 21, 2015. He ended the 2015 season with a .291 batting average, 92 runs scored, 77 RBIs, 18 home runs, and 21 stolen bases.

September 12, 2016: Consecutive Plate Appearances Without Striking Out

From September 12, 2016, Mookie Betts began a streak of 129 consecutive plate appearances without striking out.

2016: Moved to Right Field

In 2016, Betts transitioned to playing right field for the Red Sox.

2016: Selected to MLB All-Star Game

Mookie Betts was selected to the 2016 MLB All-Star Game, the first of his career, and was named the AL Player of the Month for July. On September 20, 2016, Betts became the first player to reach 200 hits during the 2016 MLB season. He finished the season with a .318 batting average, 214 hits, 122 runs scored, 42 doubles, 31 home runs, 113 RBI, and an MLB-leading 359 total bases.

2016: Contract renewed for $950,000

Prior to the 2017 season, Betts and the Red Sox were unable to come to terms on a contract. The Red Sox renewed Betts' contract with a salary of $950,000, up from $566,000 in 2016 and the second-highest pre-arbitration salary in MLB history.

April 19, 2017: Streak of Consecutive Plate Appearances Without Striking Out Ends

On April 19, 2017, Betts' streak of 129 consecutive plate appearances without striking out ended against Francisco Liriano of the Toronto Blue Jays.

2017: Contract Renewed by Red Sox

Prior to the 2017 season, the Red Sox renewed Betts' contract with a salary of $950,000, the second-highest pre-arbitration salary in MLB history.

April 17, 2018: Column comparing Mookie Betts to Mike Trout

On April 17, 2018, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe published a column comparing Betts to Mike Trout. That same night, Betts hit three home runs to lead the Red Sox to a 10–1 win over Trout's Los Angeles Angels.

2018: Swapping of positions

Before the 2019 season, manager Alex Cora stated he would use Andrew Benintendi as the team's leadoff hitter, with Betts batting second, swapping their positions from the team's usual 2018 batting order.

2018: First Player to win MVP, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, Batting Title, and World Series in the Same Season

In 2018, Mookie Betts became the first player in MLB history to win the Most Valuable Player, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, batting title, and World Series in the same season.

2018: Salary Arbitration

In 2018, Mookie Betts was eligible for salary arbitration for the first time. He filed for a $10.5 million salary and won.

2018: Named American League MVP

In 2018, Mookie Betts was named the Most Valuable Player in the American League. Additionally, during the same year, Betts also won the Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, and World Series.

2019: Salary Agreement and Batting Order Change

In 2019, Betts and the Red Sox agreed on a $20 million salary, avoiding arbitration. At the beginning of June, Cora announced that Betts would again be the team's leadoff hitter.

January 2020: Agreed to Salary

In January 2020, Mookie Betts agreed to a $27 million salary with the Red Sox.

February 10, 2020: Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers

On February 10, 2020, Mookie Betts, David Price, and $48 million were traded by the Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong, and Jeter Downs.

2020: Shortened Season and Dodgers Debut

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was shortened. Mookie Betts made his Dodgers debut on Opening Day, July 23, 2020, and got his first hit as a Dodger. On July 31, 2020, Betts hit his first home run as a Dodger. On August 13, 2020, he hit three home runs, tying a MLB record. Later in August, Betts had a multi-homer, multi-steal game and on August 27, 2020, reached 1,000 MLB career hits.

2020: Traded to the Dodgers

In 2020, Mookie Betts was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers after six seasons with the Boston Red Sox. He also signed a 12-year, $365 million contract extension through the 2032 season.

January 2022: Movie Production Agreement

In January 2022, Mookie Betts signed a movie production agreement with Propagate Content.

August 2022: Jackie Robinson Film Preview

In August 2022, a preview event was held at a New York museum for the film "Jackie Robinson: Get to the Bag", which Mookie Betts participated in the production of.

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2022: 2022 Season Performance

In 2022, Mookie Betts played in 142 games for the Dodgers, batting .269 with 35 home runs and 82 RBIs. He tied for the league lead with 117 runs scored and won his fifth Silver Slugger Award. His postseason performance was poor, batting 2-for-14 in a four-game NLDS loss.

2023: Infield Appearances

In 2023, Mookie Betts played significant time at second base due to injuries among Dodgers infielders. On April 21, 2023, he made his first career appearance at shortstop against the Chicago Cubs, showcasing his versatility.

2024: Starting Shortstop and Injury

In 2024, Mookie Betts was announced as the Dodgers starting shortstop on March 8. On June 16, 2024, Betts fractured his left hand after being hit by a pitch and returned from the injured list on August 12, 2024, returning to right field for the rest of the season.

2025: Exclusively Shortstop

In 2025, Mookie Betts played exclusively shortstop for the Dodgers. Despite defensive success, his offense slumped for most of the season due to a previous hand injury. His performance improved in the last months of the 2025 season, playing in 150 games and batting .258/.326/.406.

2025: Fielding Bible and Roberto Clemente Award

In 2025, Mookie Betts won a Fielding Bible for his defensive work at shortstop and was a Gold Glove finalist. He also won the Roberto Clemente Award for his charity work off the field in 2025.