Mookie Betts Reveals His Goal Within Switch to Second Base This Season With Dodgers
When Mookie Betts arrived in the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox, he debuted in right field. He went on to win six Gold Gloves between the Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers as an outfielder.
However, he was drafted as a second baseman.
Betts had to move to the outfield because Dustin Pedroia was the everyday second baseman, and the rest is history, but during the offseason, it was determined that Betts would be the everyday second baseman for the Dodgers.
He's determined to win a Gold Glove there.
"There's got to be a first for everything," Betts told SportsNet LA about winning the award. "That's what I'm trying to do."
After playing 30 games as an infielder combined from 2014-2022, he spent 70 games at second base and 16 at shortstop in 2023.
"We will see how it goes. I haven't trained to be a second baseman in so long so I have to jog some of those memories but we should be alright... We'll have fun with it. I've got Freddie (Freeman) next to me, Gavin (Lux), Miggy Ro (Miguel Rojas). We've got a really good group of guys that will make it fun for me."
He was so good at both positions that he was a Gold Glove finalist for right field and the utility position last year. He was also runner-up in MVP voting, losing to Ronald Acuña Jr.
Betts and the Dodgers will have their new defensive alignment on display throughout the spring, starting with their Cactus League opener against the San Diego Padres on Thursday.
