Betts Names Dodgers, Not Red Sox, as Team He'll Claim After Retirement

Ahead of the Dodgers' divisional round vs. Atlanta, Mookie Betts called Los Angeles the team he'll claim when asked who he played for, drawing pained reactions from Red Sox fans.

Mookie Betts has settled a debate that Boston fans never wanted to lose. Speaking ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers' divisional round series against the Atlanta Braves, he made plain that once his playing career is over, the organization he will identify with is the one in Los Angeles, not the Boston Red Sox, the franchise with which he won his first championship.

The choice is complicated by history, because Betts reached the summit with both clubs. He was a champion with the Red Sox in 2018, then collected additional rings with the Dodgers in 2020, 2024 and 2025.

Betts tied his answer to everything the current group has experienced together. "Going through the losses, going through all the ups and downs is why we are where we are today," he said. "When I'm done playing, I'll remember Boston, of course. But what I'll really remember is if somebody said, 'Oh, you played baseball, like who did you play with?' These are the guys I'm going to say I played with. That's my team."

For Red Sox supporters, the comments arrived at a painful moment. Boston had just been knocked out of the postseason by the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card series, and Betts's declaration about his allegiance reached fans while that elimination was still fresh. The pairing of an early exit with the star's statement produced a wave of pained responses.

The reaction online was blunt. "This is the most heartbreaking thing I've ever read, bro, oh my god," one fan wrote, while another offered, "God, I will never forgive Sox for trading him."

Betts's production in Boston explains why the split still stings. Over six seasons with the Red Sox, he claimed the 2018 AL MVP, won that year's World Series and delivered a .301 batting average to go with 139 home runs and 470 RBI across 794 games.

His departure unfolded through an unusual February 2020 transaction. Boston initially signed off on a three-team arrangement with the Dodgers and the Minnesota Twins that would have sent prospects Alex Verdugo and Brusdar Graterol to the Red Sox, pitcher Kenta Maeda to the Twins, and Betts and David Price to Los Angeles. The Red Sox then raised concerns about Graterol's medical history, which included a previous Tommy John surgery and shoulder issues, leaving the agreement on the brink of collapse. A revised version was eventually completed, and the outcome held: Betts and Price headed to the Dodgers.

Betts subsequently committed to his new city, signing a 12-year, $365 million extension that runs through the 2032 season. He has since been part of three World Series-winning teams, and the current postseason gives him a chance to add to that total.

Next on the schedule, the Braves travel to Dodger Stadium to face the Dodgers on Sunday, October 4. The game is scheduled for 8:00 PM EDT and airs on FS1.