Rivals Mookie Betts and Padres Star Hilariously Agree on MLB’s Most Annoying Fans

Ask any baseball player, and they’ll tell you some fan bases are not just loud but relentless. It’s not just about cheers and chants, it’s about the atmosphere that gets under the opponents’ skin, making every pitch challenging. While powerhouses like the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves, and Padres have always had the most passionate fans, certain fan bases escalate their passion, effectively bringing the fight from the stands onto the field of play. So, which team has the meanest fans?

Enter the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts and the Padres’ Jackson Merrill. And their pick? Well, let’s just say, it might not surprise players who’ve faced the fire firsthand. Ask Max Muncy as well!

“I gotta say, San Fran got some mean people out there,” Merrill told Betts while speaking on On Base with Mookie Betts podcast this week.

“That could be because of the rivalry,” Betts agreed with Merrill. “San Fran has mean people out there.”

Well, interesting! Betts also mentioned how the Padres-Giants rivalry was intense enough to be compared to the Red Sox-Dodgers rivalry.

Before he got traded to the Dodgers, Betts had the experience of playing at the Oracle Park for the Padres. The ballpark, known for its breathtaking views and baseball nostalgia, is just as famous for something else as well: its fans. It’s a setting where the crowd doesn’t just support the home team, they actively engage in the psychological game, trying to rattle opponents and throw them off rhythm.

Whether it’s heckling from the bleachers or creative chants echoing from the stands, the aggression is often real and intentional. Remember how chants of Beat LA! erupt relentlessly whenever the Dodgers are in town? That’s what sums up the fans of the Giants!

“I just think if you have a rival, it’s your, you know, your counterpart, and that’s always going to be the Giants,” Max Muncy was honest when he was asked about the biggest rival for the Dodgers.

And that’s mainly due to the Giants’ fan base. The environment those fans create at the Oracle Park is something challenging even for the biggest names to deal with.

No wonder Betts found it challenging to play against the Giants on their home ground. But let alone the Giants, the veteran star has struggled against several teams this season.

Mookie Betts is yet to spit fire this year

Hitting just 9 HRs and .269 average, Betts is yet to find his spark in 2025. He himself is not satisfied with his performance.

Even before the bizarre toe injury he suffered, Betts was not performing at his usual All-Star level. With a .254 batting average and a modest .742 OPS, the numbers reflected his uncharacteristic struggle to find rhythm at the plate.

Now, for a player of Betts’ caliber, known for his consistent contact, power, and on-base ability, those early-season stats raised eyebrows. In addition to that, the injury only added to the narrative of a frustrating season. However, things seem to be changing, albeit slowly.

Since returning to the Dodgers’ lineup after missing four games, Betts is hitting a scorching .351 with a .901 OPS. Well, that’s much closer to the version of Betts’ prime time. His resurgence suggests that the early-season struggles might have been just a temporary dip, and that the brief injury layoff might’ve ironically served as a reset.

If Betts keeps trending upward from here, it can accelerate Dodgers’ push in the NL West.