Betts' versatility helps planning
LOS ANGELES >> In one potential trade-deadline scenario, what started as a novelty could become a regular feature.
Mookie Betts made his 10th start at second base and sixth start at shortstop during this week's series against the Washington Nationals — on pace to make Dodgers manager Dave Roberts' spring projection of 40 infield starts for the Gold Glove outfielder (though Roberts did roll back that projection as spring training progressed).
But Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman can see things playing out in a way that would lead to more infield time for Betts.
“I mean, if you would have told me over the winter that Mookie would play short as well as he has, I would have been surprised, to be honest. But I guess it's example 612 not to be surprised by anything that Mookie does,” Friedman said recently.
“I think it provides a lot of flexibility, both to start a game and ingame, that has a lot of value. What exactly that means in terms of how often, I think we'll just keep assessing as we go. But let's say we get to a point where, in July, we feel like we need to add a bat, it opens up the realm of options of what we can target, if we feel like he can do it well. We'll continue to assess all of that.”
Friedman's scenario is based on the premise that it will be easier to acquire an outfielder at the trade deadline than it would be to acquire a front-line shortstop capable of contributing more offensively than the Dodgers' current group.
Going into Wednesday's game, the Dodgers shortstops ranked 29th in the majors (behind the Oakland A's) in collective batting average (.202), last in on-base percentage (.257), 27th in slugging percentage (.343) and 29th in OPS (.600).
Those numbers are actually improved by Betts' infield cameos. He has a better OPS while playing shortstop (1.262) or second base (.945) than he does as a right fielder (.741).
“Miguel Rojas has not disappointed at all on the defensive side. We feel like there's more in there in the (batter's) box, that we're starting to see some of,” Friedman said. “CT (Chris Taylor) started off in a really tough spot. But just knowing him and how hard he's worked, and watching how that has started to materialize in the game, but also how well he's played defensively — it's something for us that, between those three guys (including Betts), we feel good.
“Now, you're always at a point where anything we can do to improve the team is in play. But then you get into prioritizing different things, and when we get to July, it will be more clear what that means.”
Since Gavin Lux's season-ending knee injury in spring training, the Dodgers have been linked to the two shortstops thought to be most likely to be moved at the trade deadline — Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox and Willy Adames of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Anderson is having a sub-par season with a .261 average, a .596 OPS and no home runs. Adames hasn't been much better offensively, batting .205 with a .676 OPS, and is currently on the injured list after being hit in the head by a foul ball while in the dugout.
While Adames will be a free agent next winter, Anderson has a very affordable club option ($14 million) for 2024.