The Los Angeles Dodgers got former MVP Mookie Betts back from the injured list on Monday after he missed nearly two months with a fractured left hand. Despite the lengthy layoff, Betts was able to return to the lineup without a rehab stint in the minors. In his first game back, the Dodgers’ star went 2-4 with three RBI and hit a home run in just his second at bat.
Betts’ athletic prowess is undeniable and Kenley Jansen had some very high praise for his former Dodgers teammate. “No disrespect to NBA or NFL players… He could play in the NBA right now. He could play football,” Jansen said of Betts, per Jomboy Media on X.
Betts has always been an impressive athlete on the diamond, first for the Boston Red Sox and now for the Dodgers. He won an MVP award and finished second in MVP voting three times; he’s been selected to eight All-Star games; he has six gold gloves; he’s won a batting title; he has three 20/20 seasons and even a 30/30 season.
In 2024, Betts has handled three positions for the Dodgers, spending most of his time at shortstop with a few starts at second base and now playing right field in his return from injury. So far this season Betts has 11 home runs, 10 stolen bases, 43 RBI and 51 runs scored with an OPS of .902 and an OPS+ of 155. The 11-year veteran is up to 4.1 WAR in just 74 games.
Could Dodgers star Mookie Betts play another sport?
However, none of that means he could play in the NBA or the NFL. Only a select few have been able to play more than one professional sport. And, given the scheduling conflicts between different leagues and the extreme specialization of young athletes, we’ll probably never see another Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson. Some well known athletes, like Michael Jordan and Tim Tebow, have tried and failed to make the pro ranks in more than one sport.
While Betts has always been a standout baseball player, he did also excel at basketball in high school. In his senior year, Betts won MVP of his school district and averaged 14.1 points, nine assists, four rebounds and three steals a game, according to Chip Cirillo of The Tennessean.
Of course Betts is listed at 5’ 9” and 180 pounds. He’s a bit undersized for baseball but he’d be extremely undersized for professional football or basketball.
And yet, based on athleticism alone, Betts could probably leave the Dodgers behind and head off to handle point guard or cornerback. If he bulked up a little bit to protect himself from the hellacious hits, maybe he could play quarterback. Kyler Murray is the smallest QB in the NFL at 5’ 10” and 207 pounds. That’s not a whole lot bigger than Betts.
Still, the 31-year-old Betts is probably content with the 12-year, $365 million contract he signed with the Dodgers that will pay him through the 2032 season.
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