LOS ANGELES — Three days in the past, Mookie Betts spent over an hour going by means of drills at shortstop. In Betts’ thoughts, the time away recovering from a fractured left hand served as a blessing in disguise, as he was in a position to spend extra time engaged on his new place.
As Betts was fielding these grounders, supervisor Dave Roberts introduced that the 2018 American League Most Beneficial Participant was going to proceed being the group’s beginning shortstop when he returned.
On Friday, Roberts and the Dodgers fully reversed course, saying Betts goes again to proper discipline, the place he’s received six Gold Glove Awards in.
“I do know that I stated we wish to begin with Mookie on the market at quick, to then give the potential to pivot on the market,” Roberts stated. “I had dialog with him final night time. And, I feel proper now — and once more, issues at all times appear to vary — however proper now, we’re gonna kick Mookie out to proper discipline.
“It’s one thing that … all of us really feel that’s what’s greatest for our ballclub now, going ahead. And will it change? Probably. However I feel that all of us really feel snug that Mookie must get acclimated again on the market to proper discipline and giving [Miguel Rojas] the chance to play quick, inside purpose, so far as giving him sure off-days to maintain them contemporary. That’s form of the place we’re at proper now.”
The choice to maneuver Betts again out to proper discipline is a logical one for the Dodgers given the place their outfield choices stand at this time limit. Jason Heyward has struggled offensively, and protecting Betts within the outfield provides them extra flexibility within the infield.
Nevertheless, the choice nonetheless comes as a shock given how a lot Betts has expressed over the previous few months how a lot he has loved the problem of being an on a regular basis shortstop within the Majors.
In the beginning of the season, with simply 5 days of prep time to play shortstop, Betts was the early front-runner to win NL MVP. A variety of that was as a consequence of how taking down the problem of taking part in shortstop on a nightly foundation — one thing he hadn’t accomplished since highschool — had him as engaged as he’s ever been.
“He’s any person who places the group first,” stated Dodgers normal supervisor Brandon Gomes. “We attempt to be as open as we are able to with our gamers, and we’ve an amazing relationship with Mookie. We trip and on the finish of the day, he’s simply ‘I’m good with no matter. Let’s go win a World Sequence.’”
When approached concerning the place change, Betts echoed the sentiment. He repeatedly stated that an important factor for him is to win a 3rd title this season. Betts additionally added that the back-and-forth of the Dodgers deciding his future place hasn’t bothered him.
“I one hundred pc imagine in my skills. I imagine I can [play shortstop]. I feel it’s the problem that I actually, really cherished,” Betts stated. “I don’t know if it was essentially the shortstop factor, per se. I simply haven’t been challenged in a very long time. In order that activity, that problem to just accept and have the ability to play shortstop within the massive leagues, and assist the Dodgers? I used to be going to take it on, and I’m glad I did. I’m positively pleased with myself for doing that. But in addition, there’s received to be some extent the place you take a look at the roster, and I wish to put the Dodgers in one of the best probability to win. I really feel like with Miggy and Nick Ahmed, it will get no higher than these guys.”
Roberts, Gomes and Betts all claimed the place change was mutual. The Dodgers, nevertheless, needed to be delicate to transferring Betts out of shortstop and in addition the leadoff spot. Betts has made it clear that he prefers to hit leadoff and play within the infield. Now, when he returns, Betts will now be tasked with sacrificing these preferences.
“It is only a completely different place,” Betts stated. “I have been saying the entire time, it does not matter the place I play, so long as I am taking part in and serving to the group win.”
