In between their mission for Secret Celebrity Renovation, Boston Rob Mariano and Mookie Betts decide to make a friendly wager on the baseball field.
“You play baseball before?” Betts, 31, asks Mariano, 48, in Us Weekly’s exclusive first look at the Friday, September 20, episode of Secret Celebrity Renovation featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers player.
Mariano, who is the general contractor on the home improvement series, admits he used to play in Little League but was more of a hockey player growing up. However, he is an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox. (Betts famously played with the Red Sox for six seasons before signing with the Dodgers in 2020.)
“We need to see you hit some balls,” Betts teases. “You gotta get out there. And in hockey, you know how to swing!”
In classic Mariano fashion, he doesn’t turn down a challenge — and the field gets set up for batting practice.
“It’s been 20 years since I swung a bat, but the [American League] MVP wants me to take batting practice,” Mariano tells the camera. “What could go wrong?”
Betts then brings out his baseball coach to administer the pitching machine. As the first pitch goes to Mariano, he swings the bat and makes contact with the ball. Betts cheers him on from the mound as Mariano continues to hit the ball.
“That’s for all the Boston fans,” Mariano calls out after crushing a long fly ball, to which Betts replies, “There we go!”
As Mariano finds his groove with the ball, Betts decides to up the ante. The Gold Glove recipient tells the coach to increase the pitch to Major League-level difficulty. Betts teases that Mariano has “no chance” and decides to make things interesting.
Sabrina Soto, Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano, and Markus “Mookie” Betts Juma Entertainment
“And then he proposes a bet,” Mariano says. “If I can’t hit a pitch at this speed, I have to wear a Dodgers back to Boston.”
Mariano has worn his iconic Red Sox hat ever since his first appearance on Survivor in 2002. The cap has become a staple in his wardrobe as he’s worn it on every reality show he’s been featured on including Survivor, The Amazing Race, Deal or No Deal Island and even now on Secret Celebrity Renovation.
While Betts is convinced Mariano won’t be able to hit the baseball, the Survivor winner gives it a valiant effort.
“I came close a couple times,” Mariano tells the camera. “But when you’re standing up there at that plate. Those pitches are coming way faster than you think.”
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After sustaining an injury on his hand, Mariano ultimately accepts defeat.
“OK, so I lost the bet. So I gotta bring a Dodgers hat back with me to Boston,” he admits. “But Mookie knows there’s no way I’m wearing that thing.”
Betts is teaming up with Mariano on Secret Celebrity Renovation to give his dad Willie a much-needed home renovation.
Secret Celebrity Renovation airs on CBS Friday, September 20, at 8 p.m. ET.