Mookie Betts: Shortstop or Return to the Outfield for the Dodgers?
Mookie Betts’s impeccable defense in his first full season as shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers has been a bright spot. However, the recent performance of the outfielders has led manager Dave Roberts to question whether Betts would be more valuable in right field. The outfield defense has been a challenge for Los Angeles, and Roberts criticized Teoscar Hernández’s play in right field after Monday’s 4-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Hernández failed to catch a fly ball by Ezequiel Tovar that turned into a double in the ninth inning, allowing Tovar to score the winning run. Despite this, Roberts is not ready to move Betts from shortstop, a position he has played practically all season. Betts had a fielding percentage of .984 and has only committed six errors in 376 chances before Tuesday’s game.Betts, the 2018 American League MVP, met with Roberts after Monday’s loss, but Roberts explained that it was just to chat. The Dodgers have options in the outfield, but Michael Conforto has struggled with the bat and Tommy Edman, Enrique Hernández, and Hyeseong Kim are on the injured list. Edman and Hernandez can play both in the infield and the outfield, which would strengthen the defense. Teoscar Hernández, despite his recent offensive struggles, is a stronger option with the bat than Conforto. Hernández hit a run-scoring double in the first inning on Tuesday, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead, and finished the game 2-for-5.“There has to be an alternative, right? And I think right now, the way Mookie is playing shortstop, without moving him from the position, I think we feel really good about it.”
Dave Roberts
“Given all the things we’re going through, we’ve been through, we’re still finding ways to win a lot of games. Overall, we can all do a better job, all of us. And so I refuse to try to pin it on one position, on one person. … That’s not what I do.”
Dave Roberts
