The previous 10 years treated us well with Game 7s in the World Series, even if we didn’t completely grasp the significance at the time. The Fall Classics went the distance in 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2019. We haven’t had the chance to witness one since then. That is, until Saturday night in Toronto. The Dodgers secured victory in Game 6 on Friday night, 3-1, thanks in large part to a player who had been struggling throughout the series.
It occurred in the top of the third inning. The Dodgers had already managed to score a single run, but would that truly be sufficient against the determined Blue Jays squad? Earlier in the inning, Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked. Following Will Smith’s double, first base was left unoccupied. Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman noticeably avoided pitching directly to Freddie Freeman after he fouled off the initial pitch, delivering four consecutive balls that were far from the strike zone.
Mookie Betts stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs, a prime scenario for a former MVP, but his recent performance hadn’t reflected that status. Not even close. He had already been moved down from the No. 2 spot in the lineup to No. 3, and now, in Game 6, he was batting cleanup, the lowest position he had held since 2017.
“I’ve been playing terribly,” Betts admitted after Game 5. “I wish it was due to a lack of effort. I’m at a loss for answers.”
His struggles actually began during the NLCS. Through the initial two rounds of the playoffs, Betts was performing exceptionally well. He achieved a batting average of .385/.429/.577 with three doubles and a triple in the Dodgers’ first six playoff games this year. However, from Game 1 of the NLCS through Game 5 of the World Series, he went 5 for 38 (.132) with only one extra-base hit (.158 slugging percentage).
Then Friday’s game unfolded. Betts delivered the game’s most crucial hit, a two-RBI single that provided the Dodgers with the necessary cushion.
It was also an encouraging sign to see him make solid contact for a line drive. He had been swinging and missing at numerous pitches, but he had also made far too much weak contact in the previous two series, resulting in weak fly balls or ground balls. This particular hit was well-struck and was the third-hardest ball he had hit in the series, registering at 98 mph.
Manager Dave Roberts stated that he never considered benching Betts, even during his struggles.
“He’s one of our players,” Roberts explained after Game 6. “I’m going to, as they say, stick with him through thick and thin. I believed that positioning him at the 4 spot would ease the pressure and allow the game to come to him. But I won’t shy away from Mookie Betts. He’s simply too talented a player, so it wasn’t even a possibility.”
Betts experienced numerous highs and lows in 2025. It wasn’t limited to just the playoffs. He endured prolonged slumps on multiple occasions. Over a 44-game stretch from June 9 to August 4, he batted .173/.234/.254. It was around this period that Betts entered what he described as a better mental state.
“We’re constantly making adjustments and seeking improvements, but I believe the primary factor that shifted was my mindset,” Betts shared with CBS Sports in mid-September. “I’m not preoccupied with rescuing the season. I’m not focused on restoring my statistics to my desired levels. You know, everyone establishes goals before the year, and whether or not you achieve them isn’t the main point. You set a goal as something to strive towards. I think once I realized it wasn’t attainable, it changed my mindset to simply focusing on winning.”
The exceptional Mookie is still present, poised to emerge at any given moment. After August 4, he concluded the season with a .317/.376/.516 batting average, along with 34 RBIs and 32 runs in his final 47 games.
We witnessed that same player deliver the most significant moment of Game 6, and the Dodgers are now on the verge of becoming the first repeat champions since 2000. Could he have another significant moment in Game 7? It wouldn’t be a surprise.
