Dodgers move Betts to SS, Lux moves back to 2B

Manager Dave Roberts made the change “permanent, for now” 12 days before the start of the season.

Glendale, Ariz. — Mookie Bets Already swapping places in the box Los Angeles Dodgers, is going want Short field from The Second base.

Los Angeles planned to have the six-time Gold Glove and seven-time All-Star outfielder as the regular second baseman, but moved him to shortstop for Friday night's spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds. Manager Dave Roberts called the change — 12 days before the season opener — “permanent, for now.”

The expected short film Gavin Lux Has had trouble in the field, mainly with short throws to first base. The Dodgers moved the 26-year-old back to second base, a position where he made 153 starts over four years. Lucks, who was slated to be the Dodgers' shortstop last year, tore his right ACL while running the bases in a spring training game on Feb. 27 and underwent career-ending surgery on March 7.

“The whole organization feels that making this move now is the right thing to do to give us a better chance to prevent runs and win baseball games,” Roberts said. “Especially for Gavin, I think it gives him an opportunity to get to the other side of the diamond. So, getting him back there, reducing the throws, reducing the cost to his body overall. The opportunity to win.”

Los Angeles opens the season March 20 against the San Diego Padres as part of a two-game series in Seoul, South Korea.

Betts hit .307 with 39 home runs and 107 RBIs last season, finishing second in NL MVP voting. He played 107 games in right field, 70 games at second base and 16 games at shortstop in his 10th major league season. They were his first short games in the majors.

He was a minor league infielder in the Boston system before moving to the heavy-hitting Betts outfield. He was the American League Most Valuable Player in 2018 when the Boston Red Sox won the World Series.

“It's definitely a change. But it's also fun,” Betts told reporters after Friday's game. “It can't be too much pressure. There's always a lot of pressure, especially going and being a Dodger, that's a lot of pressure. So being a Dodger, being the shortstop for the Dodgers, that's a lot of pressure. But I love it.”

Roberts said he had conversations with Betts and Lux ​​on Thursday about the move. The coach said both players agreed with the decision and Betts described the conversation as “great.”

“It's something he didn't expect, we didn't expect, but he's excited about it,” Roberts told reporters. “There are times when he's going to kick to second base. Sometimes that's possible, but I've been clear about understanding the short term.”

Betts said it doesn't matter where he plays; The objective remains the same.

“We're all on the same page here,” he said. “We don't care what happens. We just want to win. We don't care how we get there. The most important thing is to win. For me, I don't care. I really don't care. I've said it a million times, I want to win, 'Where you put me?' Let's put it as it is, as long as I'm on the diamond, I'll do what I can, and then we'll see what happens. “

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.