Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts continues to add to the reasons why he’s one of the best players in baseball of this generation.
The two-time World Series champion has always been known for his ability to play anywhere on the diamond, but he was also an exceptional performer as an outfielder.
In fact, Betts won six Gold Glove Awards as an outfielder, but could always play as an infielder in a pinch. He actually played as an infielder, but the Boston Red Sox sent him to the minor leagues.
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Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up during the bottom of the fourth inning of a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox on February 27 at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. (David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
In fact, Betts became the Dodgers’ full-time second baseman late last season out of necessity.
On Friday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Betts, who plays an infield role, is “permanent for now.” However, he will not play in the secondary.
Instead, Betts has been converted to shortstop. Even though he was drafted as a shortstop, he did not play at the major league level until last year, starting just 12 games on the left side of the diamond.
Betts played second base last year due to an injury near the infield, but Roberts said Lux, who was scheduled to start at shortstop this year, will move to second base as Gavin Lux looks to live up to the hype as a top prospect. Told.
Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers plays second base during Game 1 of the Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on October 7, 2023. (Rob Reiter/MLB Photo via Getty Images)
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Earlier in the offseason, Roberts said Betts would likely be the starting second baseman and end up playing in the outfield for the time being.
Lux is no stranger to second. In fact, he spent most of his time in the majors as a second baseman, playing middle infield alongside Trea Turner during his time in Los Angeles.
However, Lux will miss the 2023 season with a torn ACL and has missed significant amounts of the past two seasons with injuries, so perhaps Coach Roberts will bring him back to a familiar spot in his first MLB game in a year and a half. I guess he wants to leave it there.
Betts has only played 98.0 innings at shortstop in MLB, but no one else on the Dodgers has played at shortstop. So let’s throw in Betts.
Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers prepares to throw out a runner during a game against the Chicago Cubs on April 21, 2023 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. (Michael Reeves/Getty Images)
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Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ outfield consists of Teoscar Hernandez, James Outman and Jason Heyward, with Chris Taylor and Kiké Hernandez both able to play anywhere on the diamond.
This shift will keep Lux’s bat (and Betts’ bat, of course) in the lineup, as superstar Shohei Ohtani will also be a full-time DH this season as he recovers from elbow surgery.
Betts could become the second player in MLB history to win a Gold Glove Award as both an infielder and an outfielder, joining former star Darin Erstad.
If all goes as planned, Betts will become the only player in MLB history to play in 1,000 games in the outfield and 100 games at both second and shortstop.
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