Manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Betts will serve as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter in 2023, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Earlier in spring training, Roberts left open the possibility that the lefty-hitting Gavin Lux might displace Betts as the team's table setter against certain right-handed pitchers, but that became a moot point after Lux suffered a season-ending ACL tear Feb. 27. According to Vassegh, Roberts added that Betts, who led off in all 138 of his starts in 2022, will likely see more playing time at second base on days when the Dodgers' top option at the position, Miguel Vargas, requires a day off. He made all but five of those starts in right field a season ago, but with Roberts estimating that the 30-year-old will play close to 20 games at the keystone in 2023, Betts looks as though he'll have a real chance at carrying second-base and middle-infield eligibility into 2024.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Might play more 2B this year
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts suggested Tuesday that Betts might play more second base this year, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
The topic came up -- yet again -- because Gavin Lux has been diagnosed with a torn ACL and will likely be sidelined for the entire year. Chris Taylor could be thrust into shortstop duties here and there, and the Dodgers want to prepare Betts to handle second base when the alignment makes sense for him to do so. He's already slated to see some action at second for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Might not hit leadoff this season
Rotowire
Betts could be moved down from leadoff in the Dodgers' batting order this season, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
All 138 of Betts' starts last season came in the leadoff spot and that helped him score 117 runs, which tied for the National League lead with teammate Freddie Freeman. Manager Dave Roberts did add he'd have to find another player who would make sense for the top of the batting order over Betts, and he's not sure at this juncture who that might be. While Roberts might want to shift the veteran outfielder down into the heart of the order, Betts' career .368 OBP could wind up being the Dodgers' best table-setting option.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: To play some 2B in WBC
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Betts is expected to play a couple of games at second base during the World Baseball Classic, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.
And his work at that position for Team USA could carry over into more looks at second base for the Dodgers when the MLB regular season gets underway. Betts logged five starts -- seven total appearances -- at the keystone in both 2021 and 2022. He'll still primarily serve as the everyday right fielder in Los Angeles.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Purposely puts on weight
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Betts said Thursday he gained eight pounds during the offseason in an effort to add strength, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Betts indicated that he visited Driveline Baseball this winter at the request of the Dodgers, and the primary takeaway seems to have been a conscious effort to put on some pounds. The star right fielder didn't exactly lack in power last season -- he hit a career-best 35 homers in 142 games -- so any gain in that category would be icing on an already very sumptuous cake for Los Angeles and Betts' fantasy managers. The Dodgers had quite a bit of lineup turnover during the offseason, but they figure to again rank among the top offenses in baseball, which should provide Betts plenty of opportunities to put up production worthy of a first-round pick in 2023 drafts.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Could gain 2B eligibility
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Betts could play more at second base in 2023, Jayson Stark of The Athletic reports.
He loves playing second base, per manager Dave Roberts, and that could make the lineup fit better if the Dodgers were to sign Aaron Judge this offseason. Betts played seven games at second base in 2022, so it's possible he could gain second base eligibility in-season even if the Dodgers don't sign Judge.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Receives Sunday off
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Betts is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies, Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA reports.
Betts is in the midst of a modest five-game hit streak during which he's gone 8-for-22 with five doubles, an RBI and four runs, but he'll take a seat for Sunday's contest. Joey Gallo will man right field and bat sixth in Betts' place.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Doubles twice in three-hit game
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Betts went 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored in Friday's 10-1 win over the Rockies.
Betts opened the scoring with an RBI double in the second inning. He was also aboard during an eight-run rally in the fourth. He's picked up four doubles across his last three games and now has 39 two-baggers to go with three triples and a career-best 35 home runs through 138 contests. Betts is also slashing .272/.342/.540 with 82 RBI, 115 runs scored and 12 stolen bases this year.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Laces walkoff hit
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Betts went 1-for-1 with an RBI single in Thursday's 3-2 win against Arizona.
The All-Star outfielder didn't start the contest, but he was called upon to pinch hit with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning of a tie game. Betts worked the count full before singling to left field for his first walkoff hit as a Dodger. He's driven in 80 runs on the campaign while posting a .272/.342/.547 slash line to go along with 112 runs, 35 homers, 35 doubles and 12 stolen bases.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Not in Thursday's lineup
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Betts isn't starting Thursday against the Diamondbacks, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Betts has gone 1-for-13 with a solo home run and three strikeouts over his last four games, and he'll head to the bench for the second time in the last four matchups. Joey Gallo is starting in right field and batting sixth.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Slugs solo homer
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Betts went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Los Angeles had trouble generating offense against Madison Bumgarner and three relievers in the loss, and Betts' fourth-inning solo shot accounted for the team's only run of the game. It was the 35th long ball for the All-Star outfielder, tied for seventh most in the league. Betts and Aaron Judge are the only players in MLB with at least 35 homers and double-digit steals.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Bows out for Game 1
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Betts is not in the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Diamondbacks.
The Dodgers will play twice Tuesday, but Betts -- who posted just a .600 OPS over his last 11 games -- will not start both contests. Joey Gallo will man right field for the Dodgers in the first game on Tuesday's slate.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Sits after clinching
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Betts is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Betts went 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout Tuesday, but he'll receive a day off since the Dodgers' victory secured the NL West title. Trayce Thompson will man right field and bat cleanup in Betts' place.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Slugs 34th homer
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Betts went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run in Monday's 6-0 win against the Diamondbacks.
Betts failed to reach base in his first four at-bats before putting the game away with a three-run shot off Keynan Middleton in the ninth inning. The long ball was just his second of September after the All-Star outfielder went deep five times over his final six games in August. Betts is tied for sixth in the majors with 34 homers on the campaign, and he's one of only three big-leaguers (along with Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani) to have recorded at least 30 long balls and at least 10 stolen bases.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Enjoys big game at plate
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Betts went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run, a triple, three total runs and a walk in Saturday's 12-1 rout of San Diego.
Betts set the tone early, tripling to lead off the game and subsequently coming around to score on a Trea Turner home run. Betts added his own long ball in the fourth, and his three-run shot gave the Dodgers an early 6-0 lead. The home run was Betts' 33rd of the campaign, surpassing his previous career high of 32 set during his MVP 2018 campaign with the Red Sox.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Continues hot hitting
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Betts went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's loss to the Mets.
The Dodgers managed only three hits in the contest, but Betts' solo homer off Jacob deGrom in the sixth inning ensured that they weren't shut out. The long ball was Betts' fifth in his past six games, and he has also racked up eight RBI during that stretch. The All-Star outfielder batted .330 with nine home runs, 18 RBI and five stolen bases over 27 games in August.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Will receive Monday off
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Manager Dave Roberts said Sunday after the Dodgers' 8-1 win over the Marlins that Betts will be out of the lineup for rest purposes in Monday's series finale in Miami, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
After Monday's contest, the Dodgers will finish out their week with three-game sets against playoff-contending teams in the Mets and Padres, so Roberts wants to ensure that Betts is an optimal health for those matchups coming out of three straight games on the synthetic turf at Marlins Park. In Sunday's win, Betts went 3-for-5 with a double, a pair of RBI and his National League-leading 99th run of the season.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Slugs 30th homer
Rotowire
Betts went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's loss to the Marlins.
Sandy Alcantara was exceptional for Miami in racking up his fourth complete game, but Betts made him pay for a hanging slider in the third inning with his 30th long ball of the season. It's Betts' third big-league campaign with at least 30 homers, and he has an excellent chance of surpassing the career-best 32 long balls he hit during his MVP 2018 season. Betts is one of six National League players to reach the 30-homer mark so far in 2022.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Huge performance against Marlins
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Betts went 4-for-6 with a double, two home runs, a stolen base, three runs scored and four RBI in Friday's 10-6 extra-inning win over the Marlins.
He nearly single-handedly kept the Dodgers in the game during regulation, and his 10th-inning double brought home Chris Taylor and kick-started a five-run rally that secured the victory. Betts is now one long ball shy of his first 30-homer campaign since 2018, and his 12 steals are already his best total in three seasons with the Dodgers.
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Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Logs 11th steal
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Betts went 2-for-5 with an RBI, a stolen base and two runs scored in Sunday's 10-3 win over the Marlins.
Betts singled and stole second in the first inning before scoring on a Will Smith single. Four of Betts' 11 steals this year have come in his last 13 games, a span in which he's also hit .340 (18-for-53) with seven extra-base hits. The star outfielder is slashing .277/.346/.538 with 27 home runs, 62 RBI and 90 runs scored through 102 contests.
