As recently as Wednesday, Manager Dave Roberts said Betts would play shortstop when he returns from his hand injury. “Conversations” changed that plan.
When Dodgers star Mookie Betts rejoins the lineup on Monday he will do so back in right field, where he has won six Gold Glove awards. Throughout his eight weeks on the injured list with a fractured left hand, the Dodgers asserted that Betts’ time as their everyday shortstop was not over. As recently as Wednesday,“We’ve had conversations, essentially daily, about what’s best for him, what’s best for the team,” Roberts said on Friday. “Right now, we’re gonna to kick Mookie out to right field.
Betts said he recognized that Miguel Rojas and Nick Ahmed were more experienced, better defensive options at shortstop. “I think that was a very likely scenario,” Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes acknowledged Friday.“I think ultimately it was, hey, this is what we think is the most likely scenario so we were all, let’s do it now and put ourselves in the best position possible,” Gomes said.
Moving Betts back to right field makes sense offensively as well as defensively. Teoscar Hernandez hit .295 with 13 home runs and a .909 OPS in his 59 games in right field this season. But everyone else the Dodgers played there – primarily Jason Heyward against right-handed pitching and also Andy Pages – contributed a .208 average and .644 OPS.
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