Dodgers Insider Says LA Could Move Mookie Betts Back to Right Field

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Mookie Betts has won six Gold Gloves throughout his career, and all of them were as an outfielder. But this season, Betts has exclusively played at shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He played shortstop for the first time in MLB in 2023 with the Dodgers, making 16 appearances at the position. The Dodgers transitioned Betts to a full-time shortstop last season but sent him back to right field after he fractured his hand last June.

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With just two more months until the postseason, some question if Los Angeles would consider moving Betts to right field at some point in 2025. MLB insider Sonja Chen said the Dodgers seem to view Betts as their shortstop but could be open to switching his position later down the road.

“I think it's not out of the question if there's a compelling reason for Betts to move back to right, like there was last year. But as of now, the Dodgers consider him their shortstop,” Chen wrote.

Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim would likely be the players to fill in at shortstop if the Dodgers were to move Betts. However, both Edman and Kim are on the 10-day IL.

Kim was diagnosed with left shoulder bursitis at the end of July and could return sometime this month. Meanwhile, Edman is recovering from a sprained ankle he sustained in Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays and has no immediate timeline for return.

If the Dodgers wanted to replace an outfielder like Michael Conforto or Teoscar Hernández, they could look to Betts. Conforto has struggled offensively all season but Betts has also been going through a slump at the plate.

Additionally, the Dodgers just acquired outfielder Alex Call from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline. Call can play all three outfield positions and has averaged .286 in his first three games with Los Angeles, so the Dodgers might consider utilizing Call to replace an outfielder rather than Betts.

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Therefore, moving Betts to the outfield right now does not seem likely unless there was an injury. However, the final stretch of the season and postseason are hectic and could result in Betts heading back to the outfield.

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.