Mookie Betts Reveals What He Told Gavin Lux After Taking Over Dodgers' Shortstop Duties
On Friday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Gavin Lux would be moving back to second base and Mookie Betts would take Lux's place at shortstop. This might not have been a surprise to many.
This spring, Lux has struggled to make plays at shortstop. He's had a tough time getting the ball across the diamond on time and on target.
When Betts was asked if he was surprised about the move, he projected his typically nonchalant demeanor, saying he just wants to win.
"Suuuurre. I don’t know. I was just, like, alright. Whatever. I do not care. I just want to win. So the rest does not matter."
This is very on-brand for the laid-back star. Anyone who's listened to a handful of Betts' interviews has heard the same tone and inflection in response to questions big and small.
Asked about the challenges he'll face moving positions, Betts told reporters:
"Everything is tough about playing shortstop, but somebody’s got to do it. It all kind of changes. But it is what it is. It’s the task put in front of me and nobody cares. Nobody cares what I gotta go through. I don’t care what I gotta go through. On whatever day we are in Korea, I’ll be ready to go."
The Dodgers trusted Betts with a 12-year, $365 million contract in part for this mindset. While he gives off a relaxed vibe, all Betts talks about is wanting to win and doing whatever it takes to do so.
Betts told reporters he called Lux after getting the news. He reassured the 26-year-old that nothing had changed and they were in this together.
"I called him and said, 'Bro, nothing's changed, other than your view to home plate. We're still up the middle together. We still are doing this thing together. So it doesn't really matter.' We're going to the same place. We have the same goal in mind. I don't think anybody cares how we get there.
— Mookie Betts, via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register
After being told he would be the everyday shortstop, it might have been hard for Lux to hear he would be moved again. However, getting reassurance from a team leader like Betts could help him in the coming days.
As Betts said, the goal remains the same. Whether Lux is on the left or right side of second base, they need to find a way to get 27 outs every game. It only helps Lux to be position between two of the best in the game: Betts and Freddie Freeman.
