The Dodgers have a brand new shortstop.
On Friday, Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts introduced the crew has a brand new “everlasting, for now” infield with Mookie Betts at shortstop and Gavin Lux shifting again over to the suitable aspect of the infield at second base.
This comes after Lux has struggled to play the shortstop place throughout Cactus League play, culminating in a tough efficiency on Wednesday by which he bounced a number of throws to first base.
So, after an offseason of the Dodgers being adamant about Lux being the man at brief, the crew has formally modified course, and can be attempting one thing new with lower than two weeks to go till Opening Day in Korea.
Right here’s the total lineup for Friday’s sport, which is clearly not only a trial run defensively talking.
That is fairly the flip of occasions for the Dodgers, who needed Betts to be the on a regular basis second baseman in 2024 and had full confidence in Lux at shortstop.
Nonetheless, after his constant throwing woes all spring, Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts was noncommittal about Lux being the crew’s Opening Day shortstop on Wednesday.
And now, the change is official, with Lux going again to second base and Betts shifting over to shortstop, a place he’s logged simply 98 innings at over the course of his profession.
It is a sudden change for everybody, however Roberts stated all concerned events had a dialog on Thursday concerning the swap.
Betts can even nonetheless see a while at second base towards left-handed pitching if Lux sits, however the Dodgers need Lux’s bat within the lineup, and that is the easiest way to make it occur whereas additionally relieving any of the defensive stress.
So, Lux goes again to the place he’s logged 1,346.2 innings on the MLB stage, the place the Dodgers hope he’ll be capable of stick on the MLB stage.
As for Betts, he’s making his second main place change of the spring with 12 days to go till Opening Day.
Picture Credit score: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports activities