(KTLA) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are in Milwaukee this week for a three-game series with the NL Central-leading Brewers, and while team unity is important during long road trips, one Dodger star is keeping his distance from the rest of the team “just in case.”
According to Orange County Register reporter Bill Plunkett, outfielder Mookie Betts rented an Airbnb with some friends while the rest of his Dodger teammates stayed in a legendary 130-year-old hotel in Milwaukee.
The reason, Betts said, is due to long-rumored reports of hauntings and other creepy happenings at the Pfister Hotel.
The Pfister Hotel is one of the most historic buildings in Milwaukee. The famed luxury hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has hosted billionaires, diplomats and more — it’s also rumored to be home to an intrepid spirit or two.
Betts, 30, who has stayed at the hotel in years past, said he opted for the modern setting instead of the historic grounds “just in case” rumors of the specters and spirits turned out to be true.
“You can tell me what happened after,” he joked with Plunkett. “I just don’t want to find out myself.”
An eight-year MLB veteran, Betts has stayed at his fair share of hotels, resorts and high-rises over the years, but the Pfister Hotel has affected his sleep schedule in recent stays.
“I couldn’t sleep,” Betts told the OC Register. “Every noise, I’d be like, ‘Is that something?'”
The Pfister Hotel has been the subject of haunting rumors for decades, and it’s one of the oldest hotels that MLB teams regularly visit for road trips. It’s led to many reports of strange and creepy occurrences from the players brave enough to stay overnight.
Michael Young, former seven-time MLB All Star and one-time Dodger, told ESPN the Magazine that he heard footsteps “stomping” around in his room. He recalled telling his ghostly visitor to “make yourself at home” but keep the noise down.
Bryce Harper, a two-time National League MVP, said he had a strange experience when staying in the historic hotel, claiming that his clothes he had laid out the night before ended up on the floor and a table was moved across the room.
“I honestly thought there might be someone in my room. I had no idea what the hell just happened, so I actually looked around, and then I checked to see if the door was still latched, and it was,” Harper said. He told reporters that he thought he may have been the victim of a prank by one of his teammates.
In 2018, Cardinals players Carlos Martinez and Marcell Ozuna bunked up together after allegedly spotting one of the Pfister’s unaccounted for guests. Martinez, a pitcher, started the next day’s game against the Brewers and was hammered by Milwaukee’s batters and was pulled after giving up seven runs in only four innings.
So maybe Betts’ extra precautions aren’t that crazy, even if the change of venue simply promises a sounder sleep. If the Dodgers want to maintain their spot near the top of the National League, he and his teammates will probably need to be well-rested.
Let’s just hope Betts and his friends didn’t mistakenly book a stay at one of Airbnb’s most haunted hangouts.
The Dodgers dropped their first game of their series against the Brewers in Milwaukee, but were on their way to winning the second game on Tuesday. The series concludes Wednesday.