Career Timeline of Mookie Betts: Major Achievements and Milestones

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

Mookie Betts is a highly accomplished American professional baseball player currently with the Los Angeles Dodgers, having previously played for the Boston Red Sox. An eight-time All-Star, he boasts seven Silver Slugger Awards and six Gold Glove Awards. Betts is a three-time World Series champion and earned the American League MVP award in 2018. He ranks second in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) among active position players, only trailing Mike Trout. Betts has also represented the United States internationally.

Sections (4)

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

2011: Jacoby Ellsbury joins the 30-30 club

In 2011, Jacoby Ellsbury became the first player in Red Sox history to join the 30-30 club.

2011: Drafted by Red Sox

In 2011, Mookie Betts was drafted by the Boston Red Sox.

2011: Drafted and Signed with Red Sox

In 2011, the Boston Red Sox selected Mookie Betts in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball draft, and he signed a $750,000 contract, rescinding his commitment to the University of Tennessee.

2012: Played for Lowell Spinners

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

2013: Pedroia's Contract Extension

In 2013, Dustin Pedroia signed an eight-year contract extension with the Red Sox, leading to speculation that Mookie Betts would transition to a new position.

2013: Season with Greenville Drive

In 2013, Mookie Betts started the season with the Greenville Drive, batting .296 with a 19-game hitting streak and was selected to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game.

2013: Promotion to Salem Red Sox and Awards

In 2013, Mookie Betts was promoted to the Salem Red Sox on July 9. He batted .341 in 51 games and was named Offensive Player of the Year and Breakout Player of the Year in the Boston minor league system.

May 2014: Playing Outfield

Beginning in mid-May 2014, Mookie Betts started playing outfield in addition to second base.

June 28, 2014: Promotion to the Red Sox

On June 28, 2014, Mookie Betts was promoted to the Boston Red Sox.

2014: 2014 Season Performance

During the 2014 season, Mookie Betts split time between AA, AAA, and MLB, playing 52 major league games. He hit .291 with five home runs for the Red Sox and played over half his innings in center field.

2014: First Career Grand Slam

In 2014, Mookie Betts hit his first career grand slam against Chris Archer of the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Later in the 2014 season, he began playing second base regularly due to injuries to Dustin Pedroia and Brock Holt.

2014: MLB Debut

In 2014, Mookie Betts made his Major League Baseball debut with the Boston Red Sox, playing both second base and outfield positions.

2014: Season with Portland and Pawtucket

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.

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 for the Boston Red Sox against the Philadelphia Phillies, becoming the third youngest player to do so for the team.

April 13, 2015: Standout Performance at Fenway Park

On April 13, 2015, during the home opener at Fenway Park against the Washington Nationals, Mookie Betts had a memorable performance, robbing Bryce Harper of a home run, stealing two bases on one play, and hitting a home run into the Monster seats, all within the first three innings.

June 21, 2015: AL Player of the Week

Mookie Betts was named the AL Player of the Week for the week ending on June 21, 2015, after batting .581 with two home runs, two triples, three doubles, seven RBI, and eight runs. By the end of the 2015 season, Betts had a .291 batting average with 92 runs scored, 77 RBIs, 18 home runs and 21 stolen bases.

2016: Move to Right Field

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

2016: All-Star Selection and Stats

In 2016, Mookie Betts was selected to the MLB All-Star Game for the first time. He was also named the AL Player of the Month for July. Betts finished the 2016 season with a .318 batting average, 214 hits, 122 runs scored, 42 doubles, 31 home runs, 113 RBI, and 359 total bases.

2016: Golden Glove Award

Mookie Betts won his second consecutive Golden Glove Award this season

2016: AL East Division Champions

The Red Sox clinched the AL East Division in 2016 but lost to the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS. Mookie Betts was named Wilson Sporting Goods' Defensive Player of the Year at right field. He finished as the runner-up to Mike Trout for the American League MVP Award.

July 2, 2017: Tied MLB Record

On July 2, 2017, Mookie Betts tied an MLB record by recording eight RBIs from the leadoff slot in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. He was also granted his second American League All-Star Game selection on the same day.

2017: Contract Renewal

Prior to the 2017 season, the Red Sox renewed Mookie Betts' contract with a salary of $950,000.

April 17, 2018: Comparison to Mike Trout and Three Home Runs

On April 17, 2018, Mookie Betts was compared to Mike Trout in an article by Nick Cafardo. Betts then hit three home runs in a game against Trout's Los Angeles Angels, tying him with Ted Williams for the most three-homer games in Red Sox history.

2018: Batting order

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: Historic Season

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

2018: Salary Arbitration

In 2018, Mookie Betts filed for a $10.5 million salary through salary arbitration, and the Red Sox countered with $7.5 million. The arbitration panel awarded Betts the $10.5 million salary for the 2018 season.

2018: Leading the major leagues

In 2018, Mookie Betts finished the season leading the major leagues with a .346 batting average, a .640 slugging percentage, and 129 runs scored. He had the highest fielding percentage among major league right fielders and helped the Red Sox win the World Series. He won his third consecutive Gold Glove, the Heart & Hustle Award, and was named the American League MVP.

2018: Leading MLB in multiple categories

In 2018, by May 21, Mookie Betts led the major league with 15 home runs and also led MLB in batting average, slugging percentage, OPS, total bases, extra-base hits, doubles, runs scored, runs created, and OPS+. He also stole 11 bases, ranking third in MLB. Later in the season, on July 6, Betts hit his 22nd home run of the season and the 100th of his MLB career and on August 9, he hit for the cycle against the Toronto Blue Jays. Then, on September 26, Betts stole his 30th base of the season, joining the 30-30 club in Red Sox history.

2019: Contract and batting order changes

In 2019, Betts and the Red Sox agreed on a $20 million salary, avoiding arbitration. His batting order position changed multiple times during the season. On July 26, Betts hit three home runs against James Paxton of the Yankees.

2019: Defensive prowess and awards

In 2019, Betts appeared in 150 games and had a .915 OPS, leading the major leagues with 135 runs. He won his fourth consecutive Gold Glove and third Silver Slugger. Betts finished eighth in AL MVP voting.

February 10, 2020: Trade to the Dodgers

On February 10, 2020, the Red Sox traded Betts, David Price, and cash considerations to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong, and Jeter Downs.

August 27, 2020: 1,000 MLB Career Hits

On August 27, 2020, Mookie Betts reached 1,000 MLB career hits.

2020: Contract agreement

Betts and the Red Sox agreed to a $27 million salary for the 2020 season.

2020: Success in Shortened Season and World Series Win

During the shortened 2020 season, Betts finished with a .292 batting average, 16 home runs, and 10 stolen bases. He played a key role in the Dodgers' World Series victory, including multiple series-saving defensive plays and a home run in the clinching game, earning his fifth consecutive Gold Glove and fourth Silver Slugger. He finished second in NL MVP voting.

2020: Traded to Dodgers

In 2020, Mookie Betts was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2020: World Series Win with Dodgers

In 2020, Mookie Betts won the World Series during his tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2021: All-Star Selection and Postseason Performance

In 2021, Betts was selected to the National League All-Star Team but did not play due to injury. He played in 122 games with a .264 batting average, 23 home runs, and 58 RBI. He also had a strong performance in the NLDS but struggled in the NLCS.

January 2022: Movie Production Agreement

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

August 2022: Jackie Robinson Film Preview

In August 2022, Betts participated in the production of a film focused on the life of Jackie Robinson. The film, Jackie Robinson: Get to the Bag, was shown in a preview event at a New York museum.

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2022: All-Star Game and Career-High Home Runs

In 2022, Betts made his sixth appearance at the MLB All-Star game as a starting outfielder for the National League All-Star Team. He played in 142 games for the Dodgers, batting .269 with a career-high 35 home runs and recording 82 RBIs.

August 7, 2023: Fifth Career Grand Slam

On August 7, 2023, Betts hit his fifth career grand slam home run as a lead-off batter, tying a Major League record.

2023: Infield versatility

In 2023, Betts played second base and shortstop due to injuries and underperformance among Dodgers infielders, marking his first career appearance as a shortstop.

2024: Key plays in the World Series

In 2024, Betts batted .222 in the NLDS, but hit home runs in consecutive games. In the NLCS, Betts batted .346, had two home runs, and nine RBI. During the World Series in 2024, Betts was involved in key plays, helping secure his third World Series championship and winning his seventh Silver Slugger award.

2024: Starting Shortstop and Hand Fracture

In 2024, Betts was initially planned to be the Dodgers' full-time second baseman, but became the starting shortstop. On June 16, Betts fractured his left hand after being hit by a pitch, and then returned to right field on August 12.