Mookie Betts Has Replaced Gavin Lux as Dodgers’ Shortstop, Says Dave Roberts

The Dodgers have a new shortstop.

On Friday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced the team has a new “permanent, for now” infield with Mookie Betts at shortstop and Gavin Lux moving back over to the right side of the infield at second base.

This comes after Lux has struggled to play the shortstop position across Cactus League play, culminating in a rough performance on Wednesday in which he bounced multiple throws to first base.

So, after an offseason of the Dodgers being adamant about Lux being the guy at short, the team has officially changed course, and will be trying something new with less than two weeks to go until Opening Day in Korea.

Here’s the full lineup for Friday’s game, which is clearly not just a trial run defensively speaking.

This is quite the turn of events for the Dodgers, who wanted Betts to be the everyday second baseman in 2024 and had full confidence in Lux at shortstop.

However, after his consistent throwing woes all spring, Roberts was noncommittal about Lux being the team’s Opening Day shortstop on Wednesday.

And now, the change is official, with Lux going back to second base and Betts moving over to shortstop, a position he’s logged just 98 innings at over the course of his career.

This is a sudden change for everyone, but Roberts said all involved parties had a conversation on Thursday regarding the switch.

Betts will also still see some time at second base against left-handed pitching if Lux sits, but the Dodgers want Lux’s bat in the lineup, and this is the best way to make it happen while also relieving any of the defensive pressure on him.

So, Lux goes back to the position he’s logged 1,346.2 innings at the MLB level, where the Dodgers hope he’ll be able to stick, at least for now.

As for Betts, he’s making his second major position change of the spring with 12 days to go until the Dodgers’ regular season opener.

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports