What is The Dodgers' Plan at Second Base with Miguel Vargas Out of the Picture?
So the Dodgers have finally pulled the plug on the Miguel Vargas experiment -- at least for now. What comes next? The rookie had been a staple in the lineup over the first three months of the season before his playing time started waning over the last few weeks.
The writing has been on the wall and the likely primary replacement has been right under our nose for most of the season.
He's actually starting in center field for the National League All-Star team.
Yes, Mookie Betts is the guy likely to get the lion's share of playing time at the keystone for Dave Roberts in the coming weeks. And, that isn't a bad thing at all.
When Mookie starts on the infield dirt, the outfield opens up for two of the better hitters for the Dodgers over the last few months, Jason Heyward and David Peralta. And it keeps rookie James Outman in the lineup just about every day.
Barring any acquisition of an infielder at the trade deadline, Betts will essentially become more of an infielder over the second half of the season, much to his enjoyment.
In addition to Mookie, the Dodgers are also expected to welcome Chris Taylor back from the injured list when the season resumes on Friday in New York. He's played mostly left field, shortstop, and third base for the team this season, but he's also spent a lot of time at second base in his career.
Certainly, the hope is that Vargas can get his season back on track after a few weeks back at Triple-A, but that's not a guarantee to happen. It's important to note that he's still just 23 years old and has still been getting used to the nuances of a new position in 2023.
As the club has done with guys like Gavin Lux in the past, Vargas will get all the opportunities he needs to become a quality asset at the big league level for LA.
Vargas hit .195 with 7 home runs and 32 RBI in 81 games this season.
