Mookie Betts has been one of the best defensive players in baseball for the past decade.
Betts' work in right field has earned him six Gold Gloves. Dating back to 2016, the start of the Statcast era, only 13 players have a better outs above average than Betts' 59, and only five play in the outfield.
Betts is still the middle of a mammoth 12-year, $365 million deal that runs through 2032, and typically stars who earn that type of contract get to stay at their spot on the field. And in the case of Betts, who is perhaps the best defensive right fielder in the sport, it particularly makes sense to keep him out there.
But on Thursday, upon returning from the paternity list, Betts was called on for a unique task: he was asked to play some shortstop. And there's a chance he'll be asked to play there some more.
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Why are the Dodgers plugging Betts in at shortstop? Here's what you need to know.
Why is Mookie Betts playing shortstop?
Last year, the Dodgers had Trea Turner at short. This offseason, Turner signed an 11-year, $300 million with the Phillies.
Los Angeles has always had plenty of depth at seemingly each position because of its standout player development that has produced many of the sport's top talents. But that depth has been challenged this year in a major way.
Gavin Lux tore his ACL in spring training and will miss the entire year. Miguel Rojas had replaced him, but was put on the injured list on Wednesday with a hamstring strain. Chris Taylor was next up, but he now is dealing with side discomfort. The Dodgers called up Luke Williams, but he's spent most of his MLB time in the outfield and at third base. Yonny Hernandez was promoted too, but he is also more of a third baseman than a shortstop.
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That brings this back around to Betts. When he was coming up in the Red Sox farm system, he was primarily a second baseman. However, as he reached the verge of the majors, Boston encountered a good problem to have: Dustin Pedroia was still the team's second baseman.
MLB Pipeline wrote in its 2014 prospect profile of Betts:
Betts began his professional career as a shortstop, but he soon shifted to second base, where his arm profiles better. He worked to become a solid second baseman, but with Dustin Pedroia entrenched in Boston, the Red Sox are exploring ways to increase Betts' versatility. Betts began splitting his time between second base and center field in May.
It has been a long time since Betts has played shortstop. According to MLB.com, he last logged innings at the spot when he appeared there for two frames in the 2013 Arizona Fall League. His last start at the position came with Boston's Low-A affiliate in 2012.
Betts has still filled in at second from time to time. He started five games at second in 2022 and five more in 2021, and overall has appeared at the position in 35 MLB games, logging 263 innings there.
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The prolific amount of injuries at shortstop for the Dodgers and Betts' positional versatility are two reasons why he went there on Thursday. But how about one more reason: he wants to play there.
MLB.com reported that after he made his MLB shortstop debut, he was glowing about the chance to have lived out a dream.
"A lot of fun. That was like a dream come true," Betts said. "I got drafted as a shortstop and hadn't seen it since, like, 2011. It was a lot of fun to be out there, and I'm just happy we won."
Betts didn't make the start in the game, but instead replaced Williams in the seventh inning. They say that the ball will always find you, and sure enough, Betts was tasked early with making a play. In the bottom of the eighth, with no one out and runners at first and second, Patrick Wisdom hit a grounder Betts' way up the middle. The shortstop-turned-second-baseman-turned-right-fielder-turned-shortstop smoothly gloved the ball, stepped on second and made the jump throw to turn the double play.
"I just give Mookie a lot of credit tonight," Roberts said, according to MLB.com. "Getting off a plane, having a baby, being willing to come into a ballgame and take an at-bat and then go out and play a position he's never played before at the big league level. Made a really nice play. It just speaks to his athleticism. It was a big boost for us."
Betts was back in right field Friday with Williams starting at shortstop again, but after the veteran's brief cameo went smoothly, he figures to find his way back to the middle infield at some point.
