Mookie Betts Reveals Real Reason Behind Moving to Shortstop for Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a red-hot start in 2025 as they are 6-0 ahead of Tuesday night’s contest against the Atlanta Braves.
While they are attempting to make history not seen in baseball in a quarter century by winning a second consecutive World Series, Mookie Betts is trying to blaze his own trail and do something seldom seen in MLB.
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The superstar has won an MVP and secured seven All-Star selections in right field, but last season, he started to make his way to the infield.
Originally getting reps in at second base, it was shortstop where Mookie would land as former Dodgers shortstop Gavin Lux showed defensive issues last spring.
As for this offseason and the plans for 2025, there is no question that the superstar has been putting in work.
“I started in November about two weeks after the season and I haven’t stopped,” Betts said via the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett. “I truly believe in my work, and I’m giving it my all so I can lay my head down at night knowing that my work prepared me for any ball that comes my way.”
Hard work is the reality, but many around the baseball world have tried to poke holes at Betts’ switch, claiming he is simply bored in the outfield.
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“There’s this narrative, I guess, that it’s personal. No. I just want to win. I want to do what it takes to win,” said Betts. “I’m not bored. Baseball isn’t boring enough for that, especially hitting. There’s always a challenge. I don’t need more challenges. It’s not trying to find ways to challenge myself. No. It’s trying to find ways to get more rings.”
Betts, who has three World Series rings, went through his fair share of challenges this offseason.
An illness caused him to lose close to 20 pounds and sit out the first two games of the regular season, but in vintage Betts fashion, he silenced the doubters last Friday.
With all the criticism swirling, Betts stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning with the score tied at five, two on, and a full count.
The ensuing three-run walk-off blast wasn’t just an exclamation mark on a game that the Dodgers were down 5-2 entering the bottom of the frame, but the shortstop let the baseball world know with his second dinger of the game that his work ethic will out-hustle any roadblock in his way.
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Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
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