Looking for stability on the infield, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday he plans on making All-Star right fielder Mookie Betts his primary second baseman.
“I think it’s very safe to say that No. 50, Mookie Betts, is going to be our everyday second baseman,” Roberts said on MLB Network from the MLB Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn.
“It’s one of those things where he’s a Gold Glover out in right field, but I think when you’re putting together a roster, and somebody can be so offensive at second base, you can get more games out of him if he is playing at second base.”
Betts, who was an infielder while coming up in the Boston Red Sox organization, was moved to second base for stretches during the 2023 season as rookie Miguel Vargas was unable to take hold of the position.
Proving to still be an adept infielder, while also producing on offense with a .307 batting average, a career-best 39 home runs and 107 RBIs, Betts ended up playing 70 games at second (62 starts). He even played 16 games at shortstop (12 starts).
The defensive versatility helped Betts to a second-place finish in National League MVP voting.
Roberts said having Betts on the infield can open more opportunities in right field for veteran left-handed hitter Jason Heyward, who signed another one-year deal with the Dodgers last week.
“It just makes our team better,” Roberts said. “Now when you get a happy Mookie Betts, a guy that can post and play 160 games, it makes the Dodgers much better. So it’s pretty much a no-brainer.”
The Dodgers are now set to have an infield of Freddie Freeman at first base, Betts at second, Max Muncy at third and Gavin Lux at shortstop. Lux, who was expected to take over at shortstop last season, missed the year following a severe knee injury during spring training.
–Field Level Media