Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts (50) hits a two-run single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning in Game 6 of baseball's World Series in Toronto on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. AP

TORONTO — Mookie Betts was “dropped” to third in the lineup for World Series Game 5 and then to cleanup for Friday night’s Dodgers do-or-die Game 6.

It is an interesting verb, “dropped,” since those are historically prestigious locales in a batting order, particularly since Ruth and Gehrig brought glamour to the Nos. 3 and 4.

As punishments go, Joe Torre’s decision to move Alex Rodriguez first to sixth in the Yankees order and then to eighth during the 2006 American League Division Series, now that was a drop. A-Rod had not started a game lower than fifth for 10 years at the time of a strategy, To

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