Dodgers making big change with Mookie Betts

Apr 4, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Mookie Betts (50) poses with Silver Slugger and Golden Glove trophy awards during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Opening Day lineup is going to look a bit different, confirming what had been hinted at in recent days.

The Dodgers started Mookie Betts at shortstop and Gavin Lux at second base in Friday’s spring training game, and manager Dave Roberts said those changes would be “permanent for now.” Betts had previously been set to play second base, with Lux at shortstop.

Dave Roberts described this new infield alignment as “permanent for now”

So, Mookie is the new everyday SS, while Lux will play the majority of time at 2B (Roberts said it won’t be a strict platoon, but he might sit against some LHPs) https://t.co/CxalFq2JGa

— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) March 8, 2024

On the surface, the move appears to have a lot to do with Lux more than anything else. After being penciled in as the team’s starting shortstop during the offseason, there were hints that the job might be slipping away from him after struggling defensively during the first part of spring. Moving him to second will put him at a less important defensive position without taking him out of the lineup.

Perhaps the biggest ramification is Betts moving to shortstop. The team had been planning to shift him to second base full-time, which was already a radical move for a player who had spent virtually their entire MLB career in the outfield up until last year. Shifting him to shortstop — arguably the most important defensive position on the infield — is certainly a major risk, but also a big vote of confidence from Roberts. At the very least, it suggests the Dodgers do not think Betts will hurt the team there defensively as much as Lux would have.

The Dodgers began shifting Betts to the infield last season, and he made 62 of his 151 starts there last season. He also made 16 appearances at shortstop, but that is his only experience at the position at the MLB level. He got some time at shortstop during his minor league career, but that amounted to just 112 innings at A-ball in 2011 and 2012.