There's a certain responsibility for star players to fulfill for their teams whenever it's time to buckle down and brace for the postseason run that lies ahead. Even in a sport such as baseball where an individual's influence on the game isn't as great as it is in basketball, superstars must make their limited opportunities count. But this is the exact opposite of what Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts did as he now watches his team head for an early offseason after being on the receiving end of a sweep from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 NLDS.

Betts was inexplicably a black hole in the Dodgers' batting order in the NLDS. Batting first, Betts was unable to provide the same impact he did during the regular season in his three postseason games. In 12 plate appearances, Betts got on base for a grand total of one time, with that coming on a walk; he hit 0-11, hit zero home runs and drove in zero runs, looking like a slap hitter the Dodgers got out of Single-A instead of being the slugger who hit .307 with 39 home runs throughout the regular season.

Simply put, Mookie Betts was unable to fulfill his responsibility for the Dodgers, and to his credit, he's more than cognizant of how disappointing he was en route to yet another early playoff exit.

“I did absolutely nothing to help us win,” Betts said, per Dodgers insider Blake Harris.

That indeed is true. Mookie Betts was nowhere to be found; it was as if the Dodgers had an automatic out at the plate whenever he was on. There might be something in the NLDS in recent times that strips Betts of his natural ability to hit a baseball. In addition to hitting .000 against the Diamondbacks, he also went 2-14 last year in their loss to the San Diego Padres, which was “good” for a .143 BA.

Whatever the case may be, it will be a long offseason filled with regret for Betts, as he will have to take a hard look at himself in the mirror and wonder how in the world he can exorcise these demons once the Dodgers inevitably make the postseason yet again in 2024.