Mookie Betts Wants You to Know That Baseball Players Can Be Stylish, Too

Yes, the Yankees are the Evil Empire again. Sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have mostly backed up their monumental hype this season, leading the Bronx Bombers to one of the best records in baseball. But there’s another dude, north of the Bronx, who's keeping pace with Judge and Stanton’s dingers, while leading his team to the best record in baseball.

Ladies and gentlemen, Boston Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts.

Mookie is kind of like baseball’s Steph Curry, combining a rare set of skills—power, speed, defense—in an undersized 5’9”, 180 pound-frame. He’s off to a blistering start from the dish this season, topping the league in batting average, and has already won two Gold Gloves after moving from second base to the outfield since arriving in the majors. Ahead of his third All Star Game appearance in three years, we caught up with the 25-year old phenom to chat about the Sawx, baseball lids, and how his friends encouraged him to step up his style to match his talent on the diamond.

GQ: Compared to other athletes, baseball players are not necessarily known for style. How has your personal sense of style developed over time?

Mookie Betts: I used to wear sweatpants, throw on a shirt and just go to the field. It was a couple of my friends back home who told me: “Work on your dress—you’re a public figure now. Everywhere you go you need to be presentable, you need to be ready to take a picture, you need to be looking good.” So I think that’s when I knew I had to make a change.

My personal style definitely developed over time. I thought I used to look good in a t-shirt and jeans and a decent pair of shoes. Now versatility is key for me. I can pull off a range of outfits from nice, edgy suits to more rugged, casual looks. Your look one day can be totally different than the next day, and, for me, it’s all about owning that.

I’ve been following some of the themed-dress road trips the Red Sox have been doing this season (tracksuits, beach attire, the World Cup).

It’s a team bonding thing and just a way to have fun and not have to wear a suit. So I think the guys have fun dressing up and doing something different.

You also got to collaborate on some limited edition New Era Red Sox caps.

I was born into wearing hats—it’s a family thing—and I wear hats all the time. So now, with New Era, I get to wear any hat they come out with. When they gave me the reins to do my own thing, it was really cool to see the process of how it all comes together. To be able to put it out and see other people wear it was definitely a humbling experience.

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What’s it like as a baseball player working with Jordan brand?

I always wanted to be a Jordan athlete. You’re separate from the rest of the field because there’s only a select few guys with Jordan brand. So to be a part of that is definitely a blessing. Everywhere you go you’re set apart because you’re wearing something different than what other Nike athletes wear.

Were you always a big Jordan fan? Did you ever collect?

I wasn’t collecting, no, but I had a couple pairs. I think my senior year in high school was when I started wearing Jordans. It was our team rule that we had to play in them so that’s when I got—not introduced to them, but got into it. Through the minors I started collecting some, just to wear, and that’s when I told myself I want to become a Jordan athlete and did all I could to do it.

What’s your favorite pair that you’re rocking these days?

I don’t know if I really have a favorite pair right now—actually I would say probably the Off-White 1s.

A couple weeks ago there was a Mariners-Royals game where they wore these “Jerseys from the Future.”

[Laughing] Yeah, yeah I saw those. I thought it was pretty cool. When things are new, when change comes you’re gonna have people that are reluctant to it. But I actually really liked them. I think that’s something that we should try. You got some guys that wore no undershirts, which I thought was funny. People can express themselves. You can see people’s tattoos and I think it’s another way for fans to learn something about you.

If you could design a baseball uniform from scratch would you make any changes like that or do you like the classic, clean look the Sox have?

I like the classic. I do like the vests though, I like the “future” uniforms. I would wear the vest and then I would probably wear an undershirt because I’m not 6’5”, 240 pounds. I don’t have those kind of muscles to fill out a uniform. [Laughs]

The Red Sox and the Yankees have been off to incredible starts, with two of the best records in the league for most of the season. Do you feel like the rivalry has ticked up a notch?

I don’t think the rivalry kicked up any or we hate them any more or any less. I think it’s just one of those things where two really good teams in the same division are battling it out. If you get the teams in another division, we’re 10, 15 games ahead. So I think it just makes for a good race and it’ll be fun. Every game’s gonna matter at this point.

You’ve had a tremendous first few years in the league, but especially this season, you’ve been on an absolute tear.

As you’re coming up, you see how the guys up there are going about their business and there’s this feeling of “Oh man, I gotta get there and I gotta do this and gotta do that to stay.” But I’ve slowly learned that you have to be yourself. You can’t try and be somebody else, you can’t try and do what other people do. I learned a couple things from [David] Ortiz and [Shane] Victorino. Those were the vets that gave me a couple pieces of advice to think about in becoming your own player. We all have different styles of play and that’s how teams come together, I think that’s how teams are good. So I just came up and learned to do my own thing and things have worked.

You came up as a second baseman, but moved to the outfield when you got to the majors.

It was tough at first—I didn’t realize outfield was that tough. I think people think it’s easy and I did too. But I’m one of those people that works and works and works and I worked a lot to be good at my craft. I know whether I moved to the outfield or if I went back to the infield, my goal is to be the best.

What was it like to learn a new position in such a funky park like Fenway?

Initially I think it was more just that moving to the outfield was tough. And now Fenway is actually the easiest park for me just because I don’t have to worry about walls, I can just get out and run. It’s the other parks that are a little more challenging.

You’re about to play in your third All Star Game in three years.

It’s definitely really cool. I’d go every year if I could. To share a clubhouse with all those guys is humbling. You get to talk to them and see what they’re thinking about. Maybe pick their brain and get something new to learn and apply to your game.

This interview has been edited and condensed.