Dave Roberts 'Not There Yet' With Considering Position Change for Mookie Betts
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Dave Roberts is publicly addressing the speculation after Mookie Betts walked into his office.
The veteran star was the hero of Sunday's win with a late home run to sweep the San Diego Padres, and he admitted it felt good to finally contribute. The conversation, though, shifted to questions about whether Betts would move to right field like he did last year after starting as the team's shortstop.
Roberts shut down those thoughts -- at least for now.
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 18: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to first for an out in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 18, 2025 in...
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 18: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to first for an out in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 18, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. More"I think that's a fair question," Roberts told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. "But I don't think we're there yet."
While the Dodgers aren't in a position to try experimenting, Betts also hasn't done anything wrong to justify a move to the outfield. According to FanGraphs, he has a 10 Defensive Runs Saved and 2 Outs Above Average this season at shortstop. Both numbers are above average to well above average.
The Dodgers are also razor thin right now in terms of infielders available. Hyeseong Kim and Kike Hernandez are both on the injured list for Los Angeles, which leaves Roberts with very little flexibility for his lineup decisions on a nightly basis.
Roberts also didn't completely rule out a move to right field for Betts as he knows the veteran is willing to play where he needs to be to make the team better. Seeing it work last year en route to a World Series win will make Betts even more likely to consider it if the idea is pondered.
As of now, though, Betts is the everyday shortstop for the Dodgers, and it sounds like won't change any time soon.
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