Mookie Betts a finalist for two MLB Players Choice awards

Mookie Betts is among the top three finishers for a pair of Players Choice Awards, voted on by MLB players across the sport. Betts is in the top three for both Player of the Year — a major league award — and National League Outstanding Player.

Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is also in the top three of both awards. Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is the other “finalist” for Player of the Year, and Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson was tabbed by players is one of the top three for the NL Outstanding Player award.

Betts this season hit ,307/.408/.579 with 39 home runs, 40 doubles, a 167 wRC+, 126 runs scored, and 107 RBI, the latter a record for anyone out of the leadoff spot in a season. Betts led the National League in bWAR (8.4) and fWAR (8.3), the latter tied with Acuña, and Betts ranked in the top five in the majors in OPS (.987), wRC+, OPS+ (163), total bases (338), runs scored, doubles, extra-base hits (80), and times on base (283).

The winners for the 2023 Players Choice Awards will be unveiled during the 3 p.m. PT SportsCenter on ESPN on Thursday, November 2.

Betts is the only Dodger in the top three finishers for any Players Choice Award. Freddie Freeman missed out on the top three for NL Outstanding Player, and James Outman didn’t crack the top three for NL Outstanding Rookie. The top three for the latter are D-backs outfielder Corbin Carroll, Mets pitcher Kodai Senga, and Reds utility player Spencer Steer.

Betts won the American League Outstanding Player award from the players in 2018, the same year he won AL MVP. He was also a finalist that season for major league player of the year from the players, but lost to then- and current-teammate J.D. Martinez.

Betts was also a finalist for NL outstanding player in 2020, an award that went to Freeman, then with Atlanta. That season, Freeman also won MVP with Betts finishing second in his first year with the Dodgers.