The fluid state of affairs that’s shortstop for the Dodgers took one other flip, and launched an all-time phrase throughout a supervisor scrum. Mookie Betts is now the Dodgers' common shortstop, Dave Roberts informed reporters at Camelback Ranch on Friday, with the struggling Gavin Lux transferring again to second base.
Betts begins at shortstop Friday evening in opposition to the Reds.
#Dodgers Supervisor Dave Roberts known as Mookie Betts' transfer to shortstop “everlasting, for now.” Gavin Lux will get all his reps at second base transferring ahead.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) March 8, 2024
“Everlasting for now” is a wonderfully humorous phrase, and one which properly encapsulates how rapidly plans can change in baseball. As of the winter conferences in December, when Roberts revealed that Betts can be the “on a regular basis” second baseman in 2024, after spending most of his 2023 marketing campaign backwards and forwards between second base and the fitting subject.
Betts final 12 months additionally began 12 occasions at shortstop, a place he hadn't performed because the minors 10 years earlier. The flexibleness at this level in his profession was wonderful for Betts, who has six Gold Gloves for his work in proper subject. However he additionally proved to be above common defensively at second base, too. The numbers in his brief time at shortstop have been combined, nevertheless it appears to be like like Betts will transfer this season relying on the state of affairs, similar to he did final season, however most likely extra infield-heavy.
Roberts mentioned there shall be occasions Betts strikes to 2B and Lux goes in opposition to LH pitching. However it gained't be a platoon factor the place that occurs in opposition to each LH.
– Invoice Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) March 8, 2024
Roberts mentioned, relying on the lineup, there may very well be occasions Betts nonetheless performs second base
Now, although, he mentioned he simply needs Betts to “wrap his head across the intersection”
– Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) March 8, 2024
Lux has had success defensively at second base in 2022, and his bat is one thing the Dodgers wish to preserve within the lineup, not less than more often than not. However his protection, significantly his pitching, was so unhealthy in his spring coaching video games this season that the Dodgers merely needed to transfer away from the place.
So count on a sprinkling of Miguel Rojas and his superior protection at shortstop in opposition to some lefties, with Betts beginning in one of many center infield positions as wanted, and maybe transferring to a different within the later innings. In-game substitutions will even be prevalent, with a roster constructed to take action with multi-position utility gamers Kiké Hernández and Chris Taylor prepared.
Final season, Betts performed a number of positions in 40 totally different video games. Anticipate extra of the identical in 2024.
Till the subsequent semi-permanent choice, that’s.
