Dodgers’ Mookie Betts On Lineup Change: ‘Whatever Shohei Says, Goes’
Mookie Betts has been a regular at the top of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup for most of the past five seasons.
That will change on Monday when he bats second.
Since Betts went down with a fractured hand in mid-June, Shohei Ohtani has been batting in the leadoff position and according to manager Dave Roberts, he will stay there when Betts returns to the team next week.
Betts understands the move.
“I mean, I can’t say I’m better than Shohei,” Betts quipped Wednesday. “There’s nothing really you can say. Whatever Shohei says goes, and after that we kind of fall in line.”
The change will force Betts to adjust.
“Yeah, for sure,” he said. “Big difference. Huge difference.”
While fielding questions from reporters, Betts didn’t specifically oppose the change. He just acknowledged that he will “be ready to go.”
“When the lights turn on, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “You gotta be ready to go. And I’ll be ready to go.”
Betts has been leading the Dodgers’ offense since he came to town via trade from the Boston Red Sox. He has 52 career leadoff home runs (fifth-most in MLB history). Of his 530 career starts with the Dodgers, 507 have come as the leadoff hitter.
The last time Betts was moved out of the top spot was Sept. 2021, after the Dodgers acquired Trea Turner.
Ohtani has thrived since Betts’ injury and while his batting average has been as high, his slugging numbers are through the roof. The designated hitter has 15 home runs and collected 35 runs batted in while having a superb 1.095 OPS in his last 41 games (he had a .976 OPS previously, when he primarily batted second).
“I think that it’s hard to argue Shohei starting the game off in the one,” Roberts said Tuesday. “I just feel that as great as Mookie is, Shohei really has the chance to change the game from the first pitch.”
When Betts returns, he will be the team’s shortstop. Reports about where he would play said the team could move him back to second base or possibly right field. The native Tennessean doesn’t care what position he plays.
“My tone hasn’t changed,” he said. “I just want to win.”
Photo Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
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Ohtani has been mired in a slump for several weeks now — so hardly being effective at leadoff. as our top slugger, Ohtani should bat 3rd, just like Babe Ruth and 100’s of other sluggers did. why wouldn’t a 3-run homer be better than a solo? Ohtani should come up with men on base!
“Whatever Shohei says goes, and after that we kind of fall in line.”
I don’t like the sound of this. Who in the hell is running this show.
Ohtani has been a prolonged slump at leadoff. Shohei should be batting 2nd as the best hitter does nowadays for virtually every team or even third. What sense is there batting him leadoff, who’s going to be on base often enough for him to knock in from the 7,8 &9 hitters? How about Betts, Ohtani, Freeman or Betts, Freeman, Ohtani ? It’s a typical Roberts cutsie, over-thinking decision, the only advantage to him as leadoff is his base stealing ability and his getting the most at bats overall but I think the advantages of having Betts or Betts & Freeman hitting before him instead of the 8 & 9 hitters is much better.
Peggy
I’m really getting tired of everyone treating Ohtani like some kind of God. Yeah he started out hot but has been declining ever since. All this garbage about him being the greatest player ever is total BS in my opinion. He should not be hitting leadoff. 3rd makes more sense…..As said above….Who’s in charge here?
This statement Mookie made is telling…….What ever Shohei says goes. After that we all just fall in line……That does not sound like a happy player to me.
I think Mookie is a far more important piece of the team than Ohtani. The Dodgers have jerked him around all year with position changes and now he’s batting second? That’s not right. Mookie produces batting leadoff, Ohtani usually makes an out. To me he’s an over paid mistake!…..I hope he will prove me wrong here!
Ohtani is overrated. Should have saved the money for Soto.
Yea, I have respect for him, but honestly the happiest day in the offseason for me was the day before he signed here it was announced he had signed with Toronto. I was so relieved LAD wasn’t signing him to a huge contract. My nephew, an Orioles fan, called me and gave me grief that he was going to be playing in the AL East. Then less than 24 hours later, boom. He can certainly bounce out of the current slump, as good hitters do, but his propensity to swing at bad pitches is tough to watch. It’s like he’s made the decision to swing no matter what and the pitchers are becoming more and more aware of this. And it may be a different feeling next year when he’s also able to pitch and not just DH, but right now it’s just painful.