The Los Angeles Dodgers put Mookie Betts on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to a right oblique strain and recalled Hyeseong Kim from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Betts’ injury leaves the Dodgers without their expected starting middle infield as Tommy Edman remains on the mend from having right ankle surgery during the offseason. Edman’s timeline has him projected for a return in late May.
While the Dodgers began the season relying on a platoon at second base in Edman’s absence, they now are adjusting in response to losing Betts as well.
Dodgers’ shortstop plan
Miguel Rojas started in place of Betts on Sunday and is going to be part of a platoon.
“I see Miggy and Kim taking down short, and leaving Freeland at second base,” manager Dave Roberts explained on SportsNet LA. “Still knowing [Freeland] can play short. That’s kind of how I’m going to divvy it up and we’ll see. … But yeah, I would say the platoon is more so at short.
“But I also see Miggy potentially getting at-bats at short if a right-handed starter is going to.”
Miguel Rojas
Rojas was in this position when Gavin Lux suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Spring Training 2023, and again after Betts sustained a left hand fracture in June 2024.
Although the veteran is going to be the Dodgers’ primary starter at shortstop, the team likely will look to provide him with rest in effort to prevent too heavy of a workload.
Hyeseong Kim
Kim spent the majority of his rookie season at second base (45 games), followed by 17 games as a center fielder and 11 at shortstop.
“I like his range, I like the way he gets off the ball, he catches it,” Roberts said of Kim’s value at shortstop. “Since he’s gotten here, I think his arm stroke, slot, has gotten better, so there’s more carry. It’s not a lack of arm strength, never has been, but I do think that the ball has more carry now, which I like playing short.”
Kim started five of six games at second base for Oklahoma City so far this season. He moved from second base to center field in one of those, and also made one start at shortstop.
Alex Freeland
The Dodgers drafted Freeland as a shortstop but he’s yet to play the position at the Major League level. Freeland saw time at second base and third base last year. Although he was part of a platoon at second base thus far, the Dodgers are mindful of having Freeland face left-handed pitching.
“I still want to try to get Alex some at-bats right-handed, but right now we just feel he’s a much better hitter from the left side,” Roberts said.
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