Mookie Betts' toddler son runs away with first-pitch baseball. It's as adorable as it sounds
Now pitching for the Dodgers, Kaj Betts!
Wait, strike that ...
Now running away with the baseball, Kaj Betts!
The 2-year-old son of Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts threw out the ceremonial first pitch on his dad's bobblehead night on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium — but not before making a break for right field with the ball.
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Read more: Mookie Betts overcame illness early in the season. Why his swing took time to catch up
Wearing a replica of his father's No. 50 jersey, Kaj had the ball in hand while walking near the third base line and home plate. Betts was jogging into place to be on the receiving end of his son's ceremonial pitch, which was supposed to be thrown from just in front of the plate.
Kaj had other ideas. He took off in a full toddler sprint, with a look of determination on his face as he ran as fast as his little legs could carry him.
At one point, his 6-year-old sister Kynlee nearly caught up with him, but Kaj turned on the jets and eluded her. He made it all the way to the basepath before pausing just long enough for his mom, Betts' wife Brianna, to scoop him up and deliver him back to his designated spot.
Kaj Betts runs away with the ceremonial first-pitch ball, with big sister Kynlee in hot pursuit.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
From there, Kaj delivered an on-target pitch/roll to Betts, who brought the ball back to his son. The adventure-seeking tyke immediately turned and took a step toward the outfield before his pops quickly gathered him for some photos.
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The adorable antics were probably the most entertaining aspect of the night for L.A. fans, who then had to watch their team get clobbered by the Athletics 11-1. Betts went 0 for 3 but drove in the Dodgers' only run of the night. In the third inning, Betts hit a ground ball to A's shortstop Jacob Wilson, who bobbled the ball to allow Betts to reach first and Chris Taylor to score from third.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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Joe Davis isn't sure if it will ever fully sink in that his voice, much like Vin Scully's on Kirk Gibson's iconic blast, will forever be the soundtrack to one of the biggest moments in World Series history. Even seven months later, it still does not feel real. "I'm still the kid from Potterville, Michigan, who dreamt of doing this," the MLB on FOX broadcaster said earlier this week. But the more time that passes, the more Davis recognizes the magnitude of what transpired in Los Angeles on the evening of Oct. 25, 2024, when Freddie Freeman — 36 years after Gibson made the impossible happen — wrote a new chapter in Dodgers lore with his Game 1 walk-off grand slam. When people see Davis now, Freeman's hit and his call — "Gibby, meet Freddie" — are what they want to talk about. The same way that Freeman grew up dreaming of coming through in a moment like that, Davis grew up dreaming of narrating it. 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Has it hit you yet that the same way we associate Vin's call on the Gibson homer, your voice and your call now will forever be linked to one of the biggest moments in World Series history? JD: "I don't know if it ever will. I swear, man. And I think that that's a good thing. That's kind of how I want it. I never want, and I talk to my kids about this all the time, too, let's never take for granted how cool it is to have the things we have and to do the things we do. I think that's a great example of that, where I can kind of practice what I preach to my kids. I'm still the kid from Potterville, Michigan, who dreamt of doing this. "In the same way Freddie stepped into the box and might not have thought to himself, 'This is the moment I've prepared my whole life for,' but you ask him now, yeah, that's the moment every baseball player dreams of having. 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From their intense showdown with the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, to their clash with the New York Mets in the NLCS, and culminating in their epic World Series battle against the New York Yankees, the Dodgers' run is etched in history as one of the most legendary in MLB playoff lore. Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner . recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
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