The Los Angeles Dodgers are one loss away from seeing their World Series dreams vanish. After a 6–1 defeat to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 5, they now trail the series 3–2, heading back to Toronto with everything on the line. But the story of October — and perhaps the most stunning subplot of this Fall Classic — is the disappearance of Mookie Betts.
Roberts Admits Betts is “Pressing”
Following Game 5, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t hide his concern. “I think he’s pressing,” Roberts told Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. “I think you can see there’s a little anxiousness there.”
That anxiousness has translated into one of the worst slumps of Betts’ career. Through five World Series games, the three-time champion and former MVP is 3-for-23 (.130) with no extra-base hits or RBIs. His struggles mirror the Dodgers’ collective collapse — 15 strikeouts in Game 5 alone, including two by Betts, as Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage carved through L.A.’s lineup with 12 strikeouts, the most ever by a rookie in a World Series game.
“I’ve just been terrible,” Betts said after the loss. “I mean, I think [Yesavage] pitched a great game. I’m not taking any credit away from him. I just don’t have any answers.”
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This isn’t Mookie Betts. Not the player who turned 5-foot-9 into a superpower. Not the shortstop-turned-right-fielder who once made greatness look effortless. Once compact and in control, Betts’ swing now drags through the zone. The rhythm is gone, the confidence dulled. Even his body language — once joyful and defiant — has grown muted.
During the regular season, Betts endured one of his toughest years as a pro. But his October struggles have hit another level — historic futility for a player whose postseason pedigree once defined him.
Dodgers Need Their Star Back
The Dodgers’ offense has sputtered, scoring just four runs in their last 29 innings. Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Kike Hernández have tried to carry the load, but without Betts at the top of the lineup, the Dodgers’ engine sputters.
“He’s going to have to find a way to get away from it and focus on one game,” Roberts said. “Just go out there and compete.”
If Betts doesn’t rediscover that version of himself — the one who plays with joy, precision, and conviction — Los Angeles’ season could end north of the border this weekend.
For now, the Dodgers’ fate — and Betts’ redemption — rests on what happens next in Toronto.