With the Los Angeles Dodgers expecting to have Mookie Betts back in the lineup next week, there were a couple decisions that needed to be made after much had transpired in the nearly two months he’s been out because of a fractured left hand.
The answers were provided simultaneously when manager Dave Roberts said Shohei Ohtani was going to remain the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter, but that Betts would indeed return as the starting shortstop.
But the Dodgers have now reversed course and plan to have Betts move back to right field once he is activated. Betts previously expressed excitement to return to his shortstop duties, but is embracing the new direction the team is taking.
“I think it was the challenge that I was really excited for, and am really excited. The challenge of going out there and working. You see how much I love to work,” he said.
“I’m out there hours early every day. I love that part. I grew to love that part,” Betts said. But also you’ve got to be real with yourself, the team, and do what’s best. I preached from the beginning all I want to do is win. I just feel like with Miggy (Rojas) and Nick Ahmed being there, that’s winning baseball.”
When Betts does return on Monday, a lot will have changed since he was last on the field and in the batter’s box. But like with the decision to keep Ohtani in the leadoff spot, Betts didn’t make any requests to maintain the role he had before the injury and is eagerly welcoming the change if it gives the Dodgers a better chance to succeed.
“I don’t care. I just want to win, bro. Like, I genuinely don’t care. Yeah, I could’ve said it, but that wouldn’t have been a very smart thing. That’s a very selfish thing, and that’s not the way I’m built,” Betts said.
“That’s not who I am. I’ve preached the same thing from the very beginning, and I always will.”
After planning to switch to second base this season, then flipping over to shortstop, now Betts is moving back to the position where he spent the majority of his Major League career and has won six Gold Glove Awards.
Despite the lack of innings in right field this season, Betts remains extremely confident in his ability to quickly reacquaint himself.
“I mean, it’s just a different position. I’ve been saying the whole time, it doesn’t really matter where I play as long as I’m playing and helping the team win,” Betts said.
Mookie Betts details Dodgers conversation
The Dodgers have wanted to take Betts’ preferences into consideration when deciding on his position this season, and that held true with the latest decision.
“I think it was kind of a mutual thing, but I would say I mostly went to them and was like, ‘I believe I can do it, but I want to win, man. I want to win. And I don’t know if me right there is the best solution to win,'” Betts recalled.
“They were like, ‘Hey, let’s see what we can do next,’ and this is what we came up with.”
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