As the Los Angeles Dodgers were dealing with injuries to Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor, Mookie Betts was given an opportunity to play shortstop for the first time in his Major League career.
Betts was drafted as a second baseman but has gone to become one of the best right fielders in all of baseball. The six-time All-Star nevertheless has looked like a natural at the position, which is a testament to his athletic ability.
Trea Turner, who served as the Dodgers’ everyday shortstop last season and now mans the position for the Philadelphia Phillies, is not surprised that Betts has found success in the infield. “Yes,” Turner answered when asked if he could have envisioned Betts starting games at shortstop.
“I kind of thought that would happen once I saw the Luxy news, which was very unfortunate. I thought that would be a possibility, just because he’s a freak.
“And he’s played second, so why not move him over and let him play short? I text him of course he makes a nice double play the first time he’s out there. It doesn’t surprise me.”
Betts has already made a few dazzling plays at shortstop and will continue seeing time at the position even with Rojas and Taylor healthy again. “Oh, just as good as anybody, or just as good as he is at right field,” Turner said of how good Betts can be at shortstop.
“He’s talented. I always say he plays a different right field the way he cuts off baseballs, every throw is so accurate and on the money, and arm strength is obviously there. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if he was right up there.”
Betts revealed playing shortstop for the Dodgers fulfilled a longtime dream of his, and Turner is not surprised by how much he enjoys being at the position. “I think he wanted to play second base, for sure,” Turner said of Betts’ desire to play shortstop.
“I don’t know if shortstop was necessarily obvious, but he definitely loves playing second base. He’s out there every day taking ground balls, so that was definitely obvious.
“I asked him, ‘Why don’t you play second?’ He said, ‘Because they pay me a lot of money to play right field.’ Then he told us the Dustin Pedroia story. I didn’t know he came up as a second baseman and had to move to the outfield because of Dustin Pedroia. He loves it.”
Has Mookie Betts joined Trea Turner in $300 million shortstop club?
Although Turner, who signed a longterm contract with the Phillies during the offseason, fully believes in Betts’ talent, he wasn’t ready to yet include him in the group of $300 million shortstops.
“I don’t know. That’s up for you guys to decide. Not yet, not. He’s got to play more than a few games,” Turner quipped.
The Dodgers haven’t committed to making Betts their primary shortstop yet, but manager Dave Roberts recently said he has the “runway” to do so.
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