Boston Red Sox fans gave a standing ovation to Mookie Betts (LA Dodgers) who reunited after 1425 days.
On the 26th (Korean time), Betts was named in the starting lineup as the first hitter and second baseman in the 2023 Major League Baseball away game held at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
In the first inning, when Betts appeared on the ground to take his first at-bat, the fans who filled the arena rose from their seats and poured out warm applause.
Betts, who was preparing to hit, stepped out of the plate as the fans cheered. Then, he took off his blue helmet and turned around in his seat to answer the fans’ welcome.
Boston manager Alex Cora and the Boston team, including Raphael Devers, who was standing at third base for defense, also applauded.
Boston is an unforgettable team for Betts.
Betts, who was selected by Boston in the 2011 draft, entered the big leagues in Boston in 2014.
Since then, he has grown into Boston’s signature player, leading the team to win the World Series in 2018 and also winning the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) that year. He also won the All-Star and Gold Glove for four consecutive years from 2016 to 2019.
However, his relationship with Boston ended in February 2020. Boston carried out a triangle trade with the Dodgers and Minnesota Twins and sent Betts, the main player of the team, to the Dodgers.
Betts is now continuing his active career as the Dodgers Man.
In July 2020, he signed a 12-year, $365 million (approximately 484.35 billion won) super-large contract with the Dodgers, and led the Dodgers to win the World Series in the same year. He was selected as an All-Star for three consecutive years from 2021 to this year, and won the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger twice.
And on this day, Betts returned to Fenway Park wearing a Dodgers uniform 1425 days after the Baltimore Orioles match on September 30, 2019, when he played as a Boston player.
It can’t be a special moment for Betts.
MLB.com introduced an interview with Betts before the game and said, “Back at Fenway Park, Betts felt like he remembered a different version of himself.”
“It was a special chapter in my life,” Betts said, recalling memories from Boston. “It’s a little bit easier to look back from where I am now and look at that little kid and say, ‘Well done.'”토토사이트
[Boston=AP/Newsis] Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts celebrates after hitting a double in the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox in the 2023 Major League Baseball game held at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 2023.08.26.
Betts retired on a first baseman foul fly in his first at-bat and struck out three times.
However, he came out as the leading batter in the 6th inning when the team was trailing 0-3 and signaled a counterattack with a double that hit the left fence directly.
Betts, who reported a hit at Fenway Park for the first time in four years, stood at second base and held a ceremony by raising and waving both hands. He homered on Will Smith’s timely double to score the team’s first run of the day.
The Dodgers, who gained momentum, tied the game with Max Muncy’s ground ball and Enrique Hernandez’s heavy hit.
Betts picked a walk in the 7th inning with 1 out and 1st base in a 3-3 match and connected the batting line. Freddy Freeman’s timely double hit 4-3, and the Dodgers, who succeeded in turning the game around, scored an extra run with Muncy’s 2 RBI double.
Betts was grounded by the leadoff batter and first baseman in the ninth, but the Dodgers scored another run on David Peralta’s sacrifice fly to complete a 7-3 victory.
Betts went 4-for-4 with 1 hit, 1 walk and 2 runs scored. Dodgers Freeman played an active role with 4 hits, 1 RBI and 3 runs in 5 at-bats.