Oct 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) reacts after hitting a RBI double against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning during game three of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Brewers Manager Says Mookie Betts Deserves MVP Consideration Amid Unprecedented Season

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Gabe Smallson | Last updated Oct 18, 2025 8:00 PM ET

As the Los Angeles Dodgers advanced to the World Series by way of a sweep over the Milwaukee Brewers, the talk of the baseball world has rightfully been Shohei Ohtani's three-home run, 10-strikeout performance.

As the three-time MVP will likely win a fourth this November, Brewers manager Pat Murphy spoke after the game regarding Ohtani not being the star on the Dodgers that he feels deserves this season's MVP honors.

"Shohei Ohtani might be the best baseball player on earth right now. It’s debatable, whatever, but he might be, " Murphy said. "Freddie Freeman has touched our hearts many times in the wrong way.
But Mookie Betts, what he’s doing in the game of baseball, is incredible, to move from outfield to playing shortstop on the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team that’s stacked with everything you can be stacked with. For him to do that and do it well is incredible.

"And then struggled early, according to Mookie, and now he’s swinging in every clutch situation and hitting behind Shohei, which is a huge responsibility. I’m just telling you, man, that needs to be brought out because if you’re talking about most valuable player, you’re going to go through the stats and all that kind of stuff."

Betts made the unprecedented switch from right field to becoming an everyday shortstop this season, and is doing so at a Gold Glove-caliber rate.

"But if you’re talking about a player that really was valuable to this team this year, I’m saying Mookie Betts is number one. No disrespect to Shohei and/or Freddie or some of the great pitching, et cetera.
Incredible. Imagine Steph Curry just saying, okay, he’s going to go play power forward and guard the other team’s best player. That’s what it’s like. So he’s going to guard the other team’s best player, who’s bigger, whatever. Never done it and he does it and they win still. And he puts up his 30-plus a game."

Betts didn't have an easy path to get to where he is as a Gold Glove award finalist at shortstop, and looking to become just the second in MLB history to earn a Gold Glove in both the outfield and infield (and first to do so at shortstop).

After a stomach illness that caused him to lose close to 20 pounds kept him out of the first two games of the regular season, Betts broke his toe at the end of May. A few months later, Betts lost his stepfather in what was already a devastating year.

Through all of this Betts was dealing with a career-worst offensive slump, hitting just .237 through the first 100 games of this season. The last three months of the season, however, Betts seemed to find his groove once again with a slash line of .294/.351/.478 and .828 OPS.

Ohtani will more than likely secure the MVP award for the National League, but Murphy's comments are certainly commendable, from a coach who just lost in the NLCS, no less.