NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: DODGERS VS BREWERS

October 14, 2026

Mookie Betts

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Mookie, I know that when you guys look at this series, look at this matchup, being down 0-2, as much as you don't take it lightly, you understand there's still a lot of series to come, what can you share of the mindset, the feeling going into this game and understanding a win today can flip the series and the momentum pretty immediately?

MOOKIE BETTS: I think everybody's in a pretty good head space. Nobody is really panicking or anything. Obviously we know it's a tough task. It's a really good ball club over there. We just have to start one game, one pitch at a time. We can't get too far ahead of ourselves, and keep giving ourselves chances to score runs.

At some point we've got to get that hit to kind of fall and maybe the floodgates open from there.

Q. As good as their bullpen is, how much of a priority is it to get at the starter and run up his pitch count, but also to score runs in those early innings?

MOOKIE BETTS: I don't know that it's super imperative for us to run up the pitch counts or anything because the back end of their bullpen is arguably better than everybody on the team. Getting to them isn't necessarily a huge success.

Really scoring runs when you can. They've got -- from starters to relievers to closers, everybody is really good. So any time we can score a run, I think it's going to be very important, whether it's the first inning or the ninth inning. We've just got to figure out a way to do it.

Q. As being one of the leaders of the team, what has the conversation been just with the guys? You guys are back home, you kind of get a fresh start here.

MOOKIE BETTS: Really just to keep playing, keep playing. It's not like we're playing like really bad. I think we're just not getting the hits that we need to really explode as an offense. One hit can kind of lead to two and then kind of keep us going.

Like I said, we're giving ourselves chances, so that's encouraging. That's really kind of what it is. It's just keep going, keep going, and eventually something will happen.

Q. Is there anything that this group can take from 2024 against the Padres or 2025 against the Blue Jays when you guys had your backs against the wall but came out on top and apply it to now?

MOOKIE BETTS: Yeah, I think just having that experience. I think that's kind of what gives us encouragement. Being that we've been here before and we got out of it keeps us in a really good head space.

Obviously every year is different, but the same rules apply. We've got to just keep playing the game, and that's really it.

Q. What did you think of the postseason atmosphere over in Milwaukee, and how much are you looking forward to playing in front of the home crowd today?

MOOKIE BETTS: It was great. Their fans did a really great job. They showed up for their ball club. You can definitely feel it. They're a team that definitely used it to their advantage playing off of it.

Now it's our turn. I think Dodger Stadium needs to show up, and we've got to show up with them. We've got to show up with them to give them something to cheer about so they can give us some energy to keep going.

Q. It seems like a lot of times when teams fall behind in the playoffs, eventually someone will bring up don't forget those '04 Red Sox when Dave Roberts stole a base. In all the years you played in Boston, how often did you guys hear about that and learn about it?

MOOKIE BETTS: I don't even know, to be honest. It was a few times, but that was -- that's definitely something you can draw some experience from. I think now we've been -- this crew has been to the postseason a few times, and we have our own experiences to kind of draw from. We try and stay in the present and try and stay in the present and focus on the task at hand.

Right now we've got a tall task, but it's something we can achieve.

Q. When you say one pitch at a time, you've been really good at that, locking into that moment. How much more difficult is it to be that way in the postseason than it is in just a regular game?

MOOKIE BETTS: It's really tough because it takes a lot of energy, a lot of mental energy. Throughout the season it's really hard to kind of lock in for six, seven months of that.

But when the time is really condensed it makes it a little easier. I've been able to kind of lock in. It's not like I'm doing great either, but I'm at least able to kind of go out and compete and give the boys something to kind of cheer for and to give us a little energy.

Yeah, one pitch at a time, it's tough to do. That's why you have to really focus on it.

Q. What's the fine balance between sticking with an approach that got you here and then making an adjustment if things don't seem to be working out in the postseason?

MOOKIE BETTS: It's different for everybody. It just depends what's going on and how you're going about it. There may need to be a few changes maybe in our head space or whatnot, maybe our intent maybe could change a little.

I don't know, it just depends on who you are and what you're trying to accomplish. I think for us right now maybe if we can make a slight adjustment to guys in scoring position, maybe taking in less pressure, taking pressure off our plate and not really having -- not feeling like you have to come through right now, even though you kind of have to come through right now.

It's really hard. It's really hard. It's really hard to play from behind when things are amplified. So we have to figure out a way to do it. We've done it before. We've just got to trust that we'll get it done.

Q. Just follow along with me on this. You've been in a situation where coming back from injury, maybe had to make a few mechanical changes or work through things to get your swing in the right spot. The other night you talked about Shohei, and obviously he's someone who's grinding at the plate right now and looking to get back to where he wants to be. Can you just talk about how challenging it is when you are coming back from an injury or trying to work through things or make mechanical adjustments at such a primetime moment but also trying to come in clutch for your team?

MOOKIE BETTS: Yeah, it's really, really hard. It took me almost like two years before I was able to really kind of feel normal again and get those bad habits out.

When you're hurt, you just want to play. So you'll make adjustments to the swing or to your body so you can play. Then you don't want to hurt while you play, so you make the adjustments to where your body doesn't feel it. Sometimes it's to the detriment of who you are as a player, and you don't really realize it.

I couldn't imagine really kind of having the expectations that he has and falling short in a way that it's not normal for him. Then having to come back and be present in this postseason knowing how important he is to the boys.

He's trying. It's just really, really hard. It's really hard to make these slight adjustments in this short amount of time. Like I said, it took me almost two years. I feel for him. I know he's grinding, he's working. So we'll just see. We'll see how he comes and prepares.

But I know he's giving it his all. We know he's giving it his all. We can at least lay our heads on a pillow at night knowing that we've given it everything.