For the first time in his seven-year career, Mookie Betts will finish the season with Major League Baseball’s most popular jersey. The right fielder, who also becomes the first Los Angeles Dodger to accomplish the feat, overtook the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge, who had the league’s best-selling jersey for the past three seasons. The ranking is based on sales since Opening Day on MLBShop.com, the MLB’s official online retailer.
Betts, who is a favorite to win the NL MVP award, was traded to the Dodgers by the Boston Red Sox in February. Shortly after the transaction, Los Angeles signed him to the second-largest contract in MLB history with a 12-year, $365 million deal that will run through the 2032 season. Betts trails only behind Mike Trout, who received a 12-year, $430 million pact. In the shortened 60-game season, Betts is batting .293 with 16 home runs and 9 stolen bases on the year.
In terms of jersey popularity, Betts is followed by Judge, the Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper and two 21-year-old Dominican-born players: Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres and Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals. The Dodgers are the only team to have three players in the top 10, with Cody Bellinger ranked sixth and Clayton Kershaw at ninth.
Before leaping to the top of jersey sales, Betts jumped around the list a bit. In 2017, he was the 12th most popular jersey, in 2018 he was fifth and in 2019 he was seventh.
The MLB’s new expanded postseason will begin on Sept. 29.