Mookie Betts proposes ending blowout games when position players pitch

Mookie Betts wants Major League Baseball to end blowout games once a position player steps onto the mound. The Los Angeles Dodgers star laid out his case during an interview with Sports Illustrated at the All-Star break.

What did Mookie Betts say?

Betts argued that ending games early would spare hitters from awkward situations when facing non-pitchers. “It’s a lose-lose,” he told Sports Illustrated. “If a hitter gets a hit against a position player, you’re supposed to. But if he records an out, the criticism can linger because he was retired by someone who isn’t a pitcher.”

He proposed calling games off once a team is down by 10 runs and turns to a position player on the mound. The comments came during the All-Star break, a period when rule changes often draw extra scrutiny.

Why fans are pushing back

Critics say ending games early would clash with TV contracts. Networks pay for full-game broadcasts and sell ad slots accordingly. “TV networks paid for the rights to broadcast the game,” one fan wrote on social media. “If you just end the game, you can’t air those commercials. What happens to those ad dollars?”

Others argued that fans pay for nine-inning experiences. “Some games are blowouts. Some games are pitcher’s duels. That’s the beauty of baseball… no two games are the same. But you play all nine innings,” one commenter said. Some even called position-player pitching the most entertaining part of lopsided games.

Alternatives on the table

Not everyone rejected Betts’ idea outright. Some fans suggested managers could voluntarily forfeit once games are out of reach, saving bullpen arms while still recording official losses. Others preferred scrapping position-player pitching entirely instead of shortening games.

The debate highlights the hurdles MLB faces with every rule change. While Betts sees position-player appearances as unnecessary and frustrating, the league must weigh player, fan, and broadcast interests before acting.

Where the conversation goes next

MLB hasn’t signaled any move on Betts’ proposal yet. The league reviews rule changes through its competition committee, which includes six active players, one umpire, and one former club executive. No timeline has been set for a vote.

For now, the discussion keeps baseball’s long-running tension between tradition and innovation in the spotlight. And with Betts at the center of it, the conversation isn’t going away anytime soon.