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LA Dodgers: Mookie Betts Expects to Stay Away From Second Base Going Forward

Dodgers fans thought they were getting bamboozled last week when they saw their MVP hopeful Mookie Betts penciled in as the starting second baseman. Perhaps a typo could have been to blame, but no it was Betts and Dave Roberts thinking outside the box.

Maybe a little too outside.



The Dodgers lost that game 5-2 and hearts stopped as Mookie tumbled to the seat of his pants on his first groundball attempt at the keystone that night. Roberts explained that matchups and phantom scenarios could make his leadoff hitter more valuable to a team seeking added “optionality” for October.

However, on Monday, Mookie seemingly put a quick end to that experiment. Catching up with Dodger Talk host Dave Vassegh, Betts explained.

I’m assuming right field’s where I’m going to stay. We’ll see kind of what plays out throughout the season. I don’t know, lineup changes and those kind of things, or pinch hits and those type of things, you never know what’s going to happen. But right now, I’m just running out to right field and batting leadoff. 

With Enrique Hernandez and Chris Taylor, the Dodgers already have two players that can play exceptional defense up the middle. Moreover, Gavin Lux, Max Muncy, and even catcher Austin Barnes give the club five options at the position on the active roster alone.

Easier said it’s a stretch to see a need for Mookie at 2B in any situation, let alone the postseason.  Notably, Mookie Betts leads baseball in defensive runs saved in right field with 8 (t-1 with TEX Joey Gallo). Sometimes it’s better to work smarter, not harder.

NEXT: Justin Turner Returning to the Active Roster on Tuesday

Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

4 Comments

  1. Coming as it did on Roberto Clemente weekend, I wondered it it might have been a chance for Kike to play right field like his idol. At any rate, the Dodgers need to spend more time focusing on the games at hand rather than tinkering for the playoffs, Yes the Ds are in the playoffs, but do you really want a 4th seed instead of the 1 seed?

  2. Not sure the Dodgers aren’t hurting themselves by moving guys around so much. Sure guys like Kiki and Taylor are made for that, and they are lucky to have 2 guys who can play all over the infield and outfield with quality defense. But to take a gold glove level right fielder and put him at second? Why? Muncy is a guy who gets moved around too much, and his defense at all positions has sucked this year. Last year, Bellinger, in the midst of his epic first third of the season, publicly stated he thought just playing one position really helped his offense. And he was playing gold glove right field. No sooner he said that, they started to move him to center [where he is far less skilled than right] and first, and he hasn’t been the same offensively since.

  3. Who’s running this show? Are the top Brass sticking their hands where they don’t belong again? I’ve seen some screwy line ups before and that was one of the worse. The Dodgers are on the verge of losing their lead and the fans are losing their tempers. Get back on the ball, all of you, including Roberts and upper management! I’ve always wanted the team to play the old Dodger ball, now I believe they don’t know how to. I pray they change my mind.

  4. Was this as bad as last year having Joc play 1st base? This is a Roberts scenario. Screw around with what got you here and lose the momentum that you have built up for the playoffs. These guys are supposedly pros and can’t believe that deep down they’re not shaking their heads too.

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