The Los Angeles Dodgers are rumored to be changing the role of Mookie Betts. Betts has been out hurt, and the club is going to possibly put him in another spot on the field when he's healthy. Los Angeles is looking at moving Betts to either second base or right field, per USA Today.
Betts is a steadfast producer who also provides a lot of leadership in the clubhouse. He has been sidelined with a broken hand which is keeping him out until at least August. Los Angeles is hoping Betts can add a bolt of energy to the team's offense when he is back in the late summer. The team is first in the National League West standings, with a 55-35 overall record going into Sunday.
Betts was having a strong season for Los Angeles
Before he went down in June, Betts was having a productive season in Los Angeles. He is hitting .306 this season, with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. His production was pairing perfectly with Shohei Ohtani, giving the Dodgers one of the best offenses in the National League. Fans of the team are anxiously awaiting for the tandem to start working together again.
Betts is one of the most experienced players on the roster. He has more than 5,000 career plate appearances, playing for the Dodgers and Boston Red Sox. The utility player, who can play the infield or in the outfield, also has a lifetime .295 batting average with 796 runs batted in.
The good news for the Dodgers is that they haven't needed Betts as much in the last few weeks. The team is pleased with the play of Miguel Rojas at shortstop. Rojas has not made an error this season at shortstop, per USA Today. He is also batting at a .282 average, as of Sunday. The plan is to keep Rojas at that spot, and move Betts either back to second base or use him in the outfield. It is truly a blessing that the veteran can play and excel at so many different spots. Another highlight is that Betts is as good defensively as he is offensively.
Los Angeles has as much pressure on them to make it to the World Series this year as just about anyone. The Dodgers agreed to spend more than $1 billion this past offseason on Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. With such a large amount of money going out the door, it would be considered a failure for the club to not make a World Series championship. Yamamoto, like Betts, has been hurt. Dodgers fans are salivating at the chance to get these guys back from the injured list, in time for a postseason run.
The Dodgers are in action on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers, in a matchup between two of the best clubs in the National League. The action starts at 4:10 Eastern. Betts will surely be watching from afar, cheering on his team.
