MLB WORLD SERIES: DODGERS VS BLUE JAYS

October 27, 2025

Mookie Betts

Brianna Betts

Rob Manfred, Jr.

Luis Clemente

Andy Navarrete

Dodger Stadium

Roberto Clemente Award

Roberto Clemente Award Presentation

SIERA SANTOS: Good afternoon, everyone. Thanks so much for being here. My name is Siera Santos with MLB Network and it is my honor to welcome you all to the official trophy presentation of Major League Baseball's most prestigious individual player award, the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Capital One.

The Roberto Clemente Award pays tribute to the late Hall of Famer's legacy by recognizing a Major League player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropic excellence, and positive contributions on and off the field. MLB has been recognizing Major League players for there philanthropic work since 1971.

The special recognition was named the Roberto Clemente Award in 1973 to immortalize the 15-time All Star after he was tragically lost in a plane crash on New Year's Eve in 1972 on his way to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Roberto's humanitarian spirit continues through his tremendous generosity and community work demonstrated by Major League players around our country and the world.

Tonight is a celebration of his philanthropic legacy that grows stronger among players year after year. To announce this year's winner please welcome the commissioner of baseball, Rob Manfred.

ROBERT MANFRED, JR.: Thank you. I would like to begin by thanking Capital One for their ongoing support of the Roberto Clemente Award. As Siera said, we regard this to be the highest award that can be given to a Major League player.

I was thinking about what to say today and, you know, the first thing I usually do is talk about somebody's on-field accomplishments. Talking about how Mookie Betts plays the game on the field in Los Angeles seems like we've already covered that topic. But he's obviously a great offensive player, a winner of the Most Valuable Player Award, and I think the most impressive thing this year to move to shortstop full-time and be a Gold Glove finalist is really a tribute to what a great athlete Mookie is.

In addition to his play on the field, Mookie has been an unbelievable ambassador for our game. A couple of years ago when the Dodgers were not in the World Series, Mookie got together with Fox, provided some commentary during the World Series. He has devoted endless hours to working with us to make the MLB All-MLB Awards the best show it could possibly be, all in the interest of making our game better and growing our game.

But maybe the most important when you talk about on field, trying to grow the game, and give back is the community work that Mookie has done really throughout his career. You know, you were, in case you don't know, an overwhelming choice in this vote. But I don't want to leave anything out. Mookie and Brianna were active in terms of supporting victims of the Los Angeles fires. They have been active in fighting hunger and homelessness here in Los Angeles. He donated youth sports equipment and funded a youth baseball tournament and sponsored youth teams in his hometown of Nashville.

I didn't know until I got this you were from Nashville, but there you go.

Promoted the importance of education and financial literacy to young people. He was an ambassador to African American youth by engaging directly with them on Jackie Robinson Day as part of our programming and in club cultural heritage night. He brought numerous underserved youth to Dodgers games here at Dodger Stadium and has been active in visiting young people with health issues.

You know, when you play 162 times in 186 days, I don't know quite how you have time to do all that, but Mookie, you're a tribute to our game and this is a well-deserved award. Congratulations to you.

MOOKIE BETTS: Thank you, sir.

(Applause.)

SIERA SANTOS: Thank you, Commissioner Manfred.

Roberto Clemente's incredible legacy lives on thanks in part to our next speaker. It's my pleasure to introduce -- well, two of Roberto's three sons are here, but, Luis, I'd love for you to say a few words.

LUIS CLEMENTE: Thank you very much. It's great to be here. We look forward to this day every single year, every single season.

And I was going to add to what the Mr. Commissioner said, but I don't think it's necessary. He covered all the aspects of what gives the accolades for Mookie to have been chosen the 2025 Roberto Clemente Award recipient. But I also understand the efforts that the wives put together, as Mom did with Dad. So, Brianna, also congratulations because you're very much a part of this as well.

(Applause.)

BRIANNA BETTS: Thank you.

LUIS CLEMENTE: Here today with us today is my brother Roberto Enrique. Not many people will get to see him because he doesn't like to travel much. But thanks to this trip, he says you know what? This is the furthest I've gone, and I will continue now to travel. So this is all for you, Mookie, and we thank you.

We've been providing an Oris watch for all Roberto Clemente Award recipients. You will be getting yours with the date of 2025 announcing which day you won the award. So thank you so much. Welcome to the Clemente family of inductees.

MOOKIE BETTS: Thank you.

SIERA SANTOS: Thank you, Luis.

In 2022, Capital One became the presenting sponsor of not only the Roberto Clemente Award, but also Roberto Clemente Day. To speak on behalf, please welcome executive vice president and head of external affairs for Capital One, Andy Navarrete.

ANDY NAVARRETE: Thank you. And, Commissioner, thank you for hosting us. Luis, Roberto, and now I got to meet Enrique, so all three brothers. Just incredibly honored and excited to be a part of this event every year. It feels full circle. The first time we did this was honoring another Dodger, an ex-Red Sox, Justin Turner. So kind of wonderful to be able to come back to honor Mookie Betts whose achievements on and off the field are really extraordinary.

Giving back to the community is really at the heart of Capital One's mission, and so the opportunity to provide a fitting stage for this award has been something that was very much a priority of our sponsorship, and so we're thrilled to be able to give it the recognition that it deserves.

Four years ago I was able to tell a story of my father's personal connection to Roberto Clemente, not only his favorite player, but they were two men born a few months apart in neighboring islands, and both happened to be in Nicaragua right before the earthquake, and my father, inspired by your father's legacy, returned shortly after to provide humanitarian aid as well. So for me and my brother who is here today, it's just an incredible honor to be able to be here on the dais.

Two weeks ago I was speaking at an event here in L.A. on Latino youth and sports, and one of the questions that was raised is how we can encourage Latino youth to be more involved in sports and all the possibilities that it can create. And the answer from the State Athletic Commissioner was, We need to teach them about Clemente. So the legacy and the importance of your father's work and your work has just never been more relevant today.

One person who very much does not need an education in that area is Mookie Betts. Mookie, I was just wowed by your nomination and voted for you last year, full disclosure, as well. But glad to see you joining here. When I told my friends from Boston, by the way, that I was presenting this award, they all clamored for tickets, mind you not to the game, to this press conference. And I just marvel at the fact that how good a person do you have to be to leave Boston in the prime of your career and still be beloved by Red Sox fans. But every single one of them was just so excited to see you honored in this way.

As Luis mentioned, so much of what is important is family, and one of the things that really struck me about your work with the 5050 Foundation was that it's a family affair.

Brianna, you're, you know, the driving force behind it, you're cousin Unique, and so sort of reading about the parallels between that and how the Clemente family has advanced their legacy was just a very moving opportunity.

We know that you're focused right now on Game 3, and incredible that you're here with us, but we can't wait to see where you and Brianna take your work next, so congratulations again.

MOOKIE BETTS: Thank you, sir.

BRIANNA BETTS: Thank you.

(Applause.)

SIERA SANTOS: Mookie, tonight you join the illustrious names of those who have received this prestigious honor. The floor is yours.

MOOKIE BETTS: So thank you, guys, for the votes. Whoever voted, thank you. I don't know how it kind of works. But first, I want to thank God just for giving me the platform to give back to all kids -- it doesn't matter, grownups, whoever. I want to thank my parents -- my mom's here, dad's at home -- but my parents for raising a good kid. You guys did a good job, gave me a lot of morals and values, and that's why I'm able to sit here today with this award.

I want to thank Unique, who is the CEO of 5050 Foundation. I remember last year when we were nominated and we lost, and I remember after that, telling her like, No, I want to win this award. I want to win. Like, I'm not used to losing, so I wanted to win this. So thank you, Nique.

And then, obviously, my beautiful wife. She's been with me every step of the way, and when we're going to give food to the homeless in the middle of the night or to schools or whoever, she's always by my side. So thank you.

And last, I feel like I'm a part of the Puerto Rican family now. Kiké came and said something, Cora texted me and said I'm Rican now, so (laughing). But being able to put on No. 21 and knowing all that he did and what his family still does is just a blessing, so I thank you guys.

(Applause.)

SIERA SANTOS: Thank you. Congratulations, Mookie.

We'll open the floor up for some questions.

Q. What does it mean for you to be an inspiration to kids from our community as well as communities of color when they see you not just talk it, but you and your wife walk it, especially all the philanthropic things that you do with the 5050 Foundation and all around?

MOOKIE BETTS: It means a lot. Life is about more than kind of what you do, I think, as far as work. It's about how you affect people. People always remember how you make them feel. So I know we live by that. So when we come across people, we always make 'em smile, do what you can to help them, and the Lord blesses you. So that's kind of what we care about. We just want to be a good example for all the kids growing up and to know that they can do it, no matter what.

Q. This has been a tremendous year for you. You've had many tremendous years in your career. Does this make it the most rewarding year of your career?

MOOKIE BETTS: Yeah, I would say so. Just being recognized for something like this is really cool. As a family, we don't really do a whole lot of things to be recognized for it. We just kind of do it out of the goodness of our hearts. But to be recognized is really nice, and especially after this year, going through all that I went through, the changes of moving and I'm not playing very well, just to know that my on-the-field things are irrelevant to this. You can still be successful and maybe not in a way that you didn't know. It's just really cool. It's really cool just to be able to hold up this award and to know that this had nothing to do with baseball.

Q. Two questions: If Roberto Clemente were here today, what would you want to ask him? And if there's a moment in your community work that you'll never forget, something that stayed with you, what was it?

MOOKIE BETTS: I don't know what I would ask him. It would probably be something baseball-related, just because he was so good at everything on the field. So, yeah, definitely something baseball-related.

I just remember a few kids -- you know, going to the hospital, and you see some terminally ill kids. That's really hard. It's really hard. And then seeing them come to the game, and one threw out the first pitch this year. Just kind of seeing the smiles and the laughs and the jokes and really getting a new perspective on life, I think, is really rewarding. I love it. I really love -- I mean, I'll always remember all those smiles and all these kids that you kind of affect and all you have to do is just go visit. That's all you have to do.

Q. What do you know about Clemente's legacy, and how special it is to get the recognition also from his family, and how much you're looking forward to talking to kids or whatever activity you do with your foundation or whatever to kind of spread the message and his legacy as well now with you being a recipient?

MOOKIE BETTS: Yeah, I don't know much about his legacy on the field, honestly. I just know, obviously, he had 3,000 hits and 15-time All Star and all those type of things. But I know mostly about all the work that he did off the field, all the lives that he affected, the way he passed. I mean, that's kind of crazy as it is.

So if you have an award named after you, that means you're very heavily involved in the community and you affect a lot of people. And for me, it's just trying to do the same thing, just affect a lot of people in a positive way. My wife affects a lot of people in a positive way. And just give people, kids, opportunities that they may not have. And not everybody's going to be in the big leagues, but some people can be lawyers, teachers, whatever it is, and we just want to provide options for kids because you never know what you're going to do.

Q. I feel like I should have won it. But you got any advice for a young player in this game trying to get to where you at today?

MOOKIE BETTS: Yeah, man, it's going to take a lot of work, which is obvious, but you really have to be in the right mental head space all the time, the right mental head space all the time, because opportunities come and go, but you'll miss 'em if you're in a bad head space, meaning upset, mad, umpire called a bad pitch, you took a bad swing, whatever it is, right?

You just have to stay in the right head space, man, and that's one of just calm and be aware of what's going on. But just live moment by moment, man. This year was the biggest teacher for me just to live moment by moment, and usually when you do, a lot of moments come that you really don't know, and when they come, you just got to be ready for it.

Q. When you got to the Dodgers, you show up at a new city, you want to get involved. I'm sure there's many worthy things you considered. What did you determine in terms of this is the first big impact that I'm going to make, and why did you want that to be the first big initiative?

MOOKIE BETTS: Man, that was so long ago. I don't even remember when we got here. It was during COVID. I kind of don't even remember what we did when we first got here. I remember it was COVID, and I remember there was a lot of homeless people that lived close to where we lived.

I remember many nights me and Bri going to drop off food. But nobody every knew. We're not doing that for press or anything. But I just remember that was kind of the beginning of us kind of getting involved in the community.

Then, you know, kind of, we were doing things in Boston as well, so we just took the same blueprint and came to L.A. and it just kind of got bigger and bigger. And then we created this foundation, and got Unique involved. She had a day job, and so she still does her day job and does this, which is amazing. She's really, really busy. So we got a couple board members here, my home boys since 6th grade. So it's all a huge family thing. They're out there giving away food to homeless as well, doing the turkey drives and all these type of things. We didn't have one thing in specific, it was just something that we loved to do.

Q. How, even going back to Boston, throughout all this do you determine which projects are closest to your heart and to become involved with?

BRIANNA BETTS: That's a great question. We go off of our feel and joy in seeing the kids. We have requirements of course, but we go off of what we feel in the community, when we're in that space, and taking that moment in. We feel things from the kids, and they ask us questions, and they're involved and that makes us want to get involved. So we actually let them speak to us as well. So it's like a two-way street. We are here for them, and they're here for us as well.

SIERA SANTOS: That's going to conclude this press conference. Congratulations, Mookie. We're going to step up for some pictures and we'll let you go.