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Jeremy WillisESPN.com
The Los Angeles Dodgers winning the 2020 World Series over the Tampa Bay Rays didn’t make Mookie Betts a star.
He has already been a league MVP and batting champion. He’s a four-time All-Star playing on a 12-year, $365 million contract. He has even won a championship before. But this postseason with the Dodgers, everything Betts did seemed to become an instant trend. Anytime he did something, his name was all over social media, LeBron James was there with multiple exclamation points, and his plays became trending moments celebrating the amazing.
Here are the best moments from the postseason that made Betts a social media sensation:
The catches
Betts can do it all, as further proven by this postseason. The defense burst out in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves. Down 3-1 in the series and trailing 2-0 in the game, he sprinted in to take away a Dansby Swanson hit that would have led to a run. Betts then threw home and got the double play.
We’re still 😧 at this catch. pic.twitter.com/fCyx1GBv8a
— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 17, 2020
Oh, but that was just the beginning. He had more ridiculous, momentum-swinging, run-saving catches that robbed more hits in Game 6.
Anyone who doesn’t think this is a spectacular catch — momentum going backward, leaping high into a wall, having the body control and wherewithal to track the ball — is just wrong. Add in context — potential elimination game, a run would’ve scored — and it’s that much better. https://t.co/lsBjy6xcZG
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 17, 2020
And Game 7.
MOOKIE AGAIN. pic.twitter.com/SlSttMLcVj
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 19, 2020
They were all huge plays with L.A. rallying back to win the NL pennant. Betts added another acrobatic catch in the World Series.
Best social reaction
Mookie Betts is a mood https://t.co/n5zWSOWQdn
— Dodger Yard (@DodgerYard) October 17, 2020
I really appreciate that for the next decade plus any time Mookie Betts does something amazing all of baseball twitter gets to come together to clown on the Red Sox 🥰 https://t.co/5Lt6FHcTsf
— sarah (@slwein) October 17, 2020
Hitting, stealing and tacos
Betts went 7-for-26 at the plate in the World Series. He’s the first person since Babe Ruth in 1921 to steal two bases in one inning of a World Series game.
Thanks to Taco Bell’s “Steal A Base, Steal A Taco” promotion, Betts won America free tacos with the first steal of the inning. For his Hall of Fame credentials, he’s baseball’s all-time leader for stealing bases that lead to free food. He stole the first base of the 2018 World Series while playing with the Boston Red Sox.
This is the moment Mookie Betts won America free tacos.
Follow along for live updates: https://t.co/Lz5mdqRar9
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) October 21, 2020
TACOS ON ME!!!! Tag me with your Taco photos! #OnToTheNext #LATogether
— Mookie Betts (@mookiebetts) October 21, 2020
Best social reaction
MOOKIE!!! Safe @mookiebetts
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 21, 2020
If Mookie steals two bases, does that mean I get two tacos? 🌮🌮 pic.twitter.com/wBuLrRbXAK
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) October 21, 2020
Betts also homered in Game 1.
Our account actually stands for @ Markus Lynn Betts. 😱 pic.twitter.com/zKhVLUQC8E
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2020
Mookie Betts, Oppo Taco. pic.twitter.com/XImoxS8jYf
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 21, 2020
He stole two more bases in Game 3. Though, when you’ve coined “oppo taco,” how does it get better?
Game 6, that’s how. After striking out twice against Rays starter Blake Snell, Betts came alive after Snell was lifted from the game. In the sixth, he doubled and scored the go-ahead run on savvy baserunning on an infield grounder. Betts then homered in the bottom of the eighth as the Dodgers won their first World Series in 32 years.
In the blink of an eye the @Dodgers take the lead. #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/GxijlijsQt
— MLB (@MLB) October 28, 2020
.@mookiebetts is the baserunning king. #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/LOGviwTbVv
— MLB (@MLB) October 28, 2020
🎶Mookie did a good thing,
he won’t regret this thing at all, if you’re wondering what he did,
we’ll show you what he did,
he did a gooooooood thing🎶 pic.twitter.com/Tu1MXrDzaK
— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 28, 2020
Best social reaction
MOOKIE OF THE YEAR. pic.twitter.com/J7P8MPfMUo
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 28, 2020
Mookie Betts walking to the plate in the #WorldSeries like pic.twitter.com/P15e0vItyl
— The Walking Dead (@TheWalkingDead) October 28, 2020
Mookie Betts about to make baseball cool again
— Kazeem Famuyide 🍎 (@Kazeem) October 28, 2020
EVERY SINGLE CENT!!!!!! https://t.co/QIXlWiYpW9
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 28, 2020
THE JOB IS FINISHED!!!!! This one’s for you LA – the City of Champions! Enjoy the hell out of it, but you know these boys aren’t done chasing rings!!! pic.twitter.com/rifShjVtke
— Mookie Betts (@mookiebetts) October 28, 2020