Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts smiles during warm ups before a baseball game against Philadelphia Phillies in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts throws during warm ups before a baseball game against Philadelphia Phillies in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts jumps out of the way to avoid being hit by a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts falls down after striking out during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts tumbles down in the wake of striking out during the principal inning of a ball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photograph/Aaron Slice)
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Mookie Betts invites a re-visitation of right field despite the fact that he accepts he has shown he likewise can make a fine showing with shortstop.
The eight-opportunity Top pick fell off the harmed list Monday at Milwaukee, playing right field and batting second for the Los Angeles Dodgers subsequent to missing almost two months with a messed up left hand. The previous leadoff hitter felt totally comfortable in the No. 2 spot, belting a two-run homer to left handle off Freddy Peralta with two outs in the third inning.
Betts fundamentally had been playing shortstop this season — another situation for him.
“Dislike I’ve been years from it,” Betts said about moving back to right field. “It hasn’t even been a year. I’ve actually got it in me.”
Betts, who turns 32 on Oct. 7, said he would be wearing a hand gatekeeper to safeguard himself. He got injured when he was hit by a 98 mph fastball from Kansas City Royals reliever Dan Altavilla on June 16.
Monday night’s down against the Brewers denoted Betts’ 917th profession start in right field. He’s made 98 at a respectable halfway point and 73 at shortstop. Every one of his beginnings at shortstop and most of his beginnings at a respectable halfway point came over the last two seasons
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“I truly do accept that I can be a decent shortstop, however I know there’s several people in our clubhouse who are, great at it — Gold Glove victors,” Betts said. “They need to deal with that. I feel like what’s best for myself and the group is to go out and play right.”
Miguel Rojas, who fell off the harmed list last week, hasn’t won a Gold Glove yet was a finalist for the honor in 2020 and 2022 while playing shortstop for the Miami Marlins. The Dodgers likewise have Scratch Ahmed, a Gold Glove shortstop with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018 and 2019.
At the July 30 exchange cutoff time, the Dodgers procured utilityman Tommy Edman, who was a Gold Glove second baseman with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021. Edman, who likewise has insight at shortstop, hasn’t played at this point this season while recuperating from wrist medical procedure however started a recovery task with Triple-An Oklahoma City. Los Angeles utilityman Kiké Hernández gives the NL West pioneers another shortstop choice.
The Dodgers feel great enough with their circumstance at shortstop that Amed Rosario was assigned for task to account for Betts. The club gained Rosario from Tampa Narrows for small time pitcher Michael Flynn only fourteen days prior.
In spite of the fact that he credited Betts’ exhibition at shortstop this season, Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts likewise said placing the 2018 AL MVP in right field was the right move given the choices the group has now at shortstop and a respectable halfway point, where Gavin Lux has hardened himself.
“Mookie made a fine showing with short,” Roberts said. “Getting to the balls, making the plays, I figured he did a truly great job of. It was simply attempting to understand the various tosses, the points, as a matter of fact.”
With their ongoing program, Roberts said the Dodgers are best off with Betts in right field “given how Gavin’s playing at a respectable halfway point and how Miggy Ro’s played at short and unpleasantly.”
Betts expressed moving back to the position where he’s most agreeable additionally will free his brain as he gets back from the injury. He will not need to figure very however much he did before this season when he was attempting to become familiar with another position.
“I said exactly the same thing my most memorable year playing right field,” Betts said. “I wasn’t happy. I needed to go through the knocks and injuries. There I went through 10 years of knocks and injuries, so I comprehend how to go about it. Shortstop, I went through two months of that. To win a Worldwide championship, you should be knowledgeable in each situation out there. That’s what I grasp. All I truly care about is winning.”
Jason Heyward had been getting a significant part of the playing time in right field for the Dodgers this season. The 35-year-old Heyward is hitting .204 with a .288 on-base rate, five homers and 24 RBIs in 59 games.
Betts likewise is dropping down a spot in the setup, which empowers double cross AL MVP Shohei Ohtani to stay in the leadoff spot. Heading into Monday’s down, Ohtani had batted .280 with 34 runs, 16 homers, three triples and 37 RBIs in the two months since Betts’ physical issue.
Roberts said he needed to have the right-given hitting Betts batting between the left-given hitting Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.