Mookie Betts, shortstop? Dodgers may play former Red Sox star in new spot (reports)
You’ve heard of the former Red Sox star who is going to line up at shortstop for a National League West contender Wednesday, right?
No, not Xander Bogaerts. In a strange twist, it appears Mookie Betts might get a chance at the position. On Tuesday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including MLB.com’s Juan Toribio) that Betts will return from paternity leave before Wednesday’s game and may be in the lineup at shortstop. According to the manager, Betts has been “clamoring for some time” to play there.
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Starting shortstop Gavin Lux is out for the season with a torn ACL and the two players on the roster who have been playing the position, Chris Taylor and Miguel Rojas, are both dealing with minor injuries. Taylor is day-to-day with side discomfort and Rojas left Tuesday’s game with a hamstring issue.
“When you’re talking about the third string at any position, there are some things that have to happen that you just kinda have to get through,” Roberts told reporters. “Hopefully, (Chris Taylor’s) thing is minimal and we don’t have to have that conversation. I just don’t know. But to have Mookie as your third string at anything, I think, teams could be doing a lot worse.”
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Betts, who is a six-time Gold Glover in right field, has never played shortstop in the majors. He did come up as a second baseman and has made 35 career appearances there, including 19 over the last three years with the Dodgers. His last time seeing any innings at short came in 2012, when he was with the Low-A Lowell Spinners in his first full professional season.
So far this season, the 30-year-old Betts has hit .266 with two homers, six RBIs and an .843 OPS in 17 games for Los Angeles.
