Dodgers News: Mookie Betts Reveals What He Worked On This Offseason

Last year, Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts put on about eight pounds during his offseason workouts. He did that intending to transition into more of a run producer at the plate. Then, he hit a career-high 39 home runs and drove in 107 runs.

This year, it seems he’s trying to maintain that weight, but with a bit of a twist for his new position,

I’ve just tried to maintain that seven, eight pounds, and really just get back athletic. Obviously, I’m always trying to keep my athleticism. But I don’t know, we’ll see. I haven’t trained to be a second baseman in a long time so we’ll see how it goes.

At the winter meetings, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Betts would make a permanent move to second base for the 2024 season. He appeared in 70 games at second base last year for the Dodgers and seemed to not miss a beat defensively or at the plate.

A six-time Gold Glove winner in the outfield, Betts has a new challenge moving into the infield. For Betts though, the position is not that unfamiliar.

Growing up, Betts primarily played second base. He transitioned to the outfield while with the Red Sox because they already had Dustin Pedroia at the position.

Athletically, the infield tends to require more instinctive movements than the outfield. Players need to range quickly to either side to get to balls in play. Then, they need to get themselves in a position to make an on-time and accurate throw to the necessary base.

It’s a different defensive skill set entirely, but if there’s one athlete that can do it, it’s Betts. If Betts can somehow maintain his body weight while also setting himself up to play second base, he could be the best at the position in baseball.

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

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