Ever since they lost Trea Turner to free agency and Gavin Lux to injury, the Los Angeles Dodgers have had a hard time getting consistent production out of the shortstop position.
Miguel Rojas, acquired in the offseason, has a horrible .356 OPS in 11 games and 35 plate appearances, and Chris Taylor has been required at other positions.
Rojas, in addition, hit the injured list on Wednesday with a left hamstring strain.
The Dodgers, as a result and given their quality outfield depth, had been planning to have Mookie Betts – regularly an outfielder – play shortstop on Wednesday.
That won’t be happening now, at least not on Wednesday.
Betts was expected to return from paternity leave, but will take another day.
As a result, he was not in Wednesday’s lineup against the New York Mets and Luke Williams was at shortstop.
Mookie Betts isn’t back from paternity leave, after all. Luke Williams starts at short. pic.twitter.com/EyHqMIzfzC
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) April 19, 2023
Williams, who has been a major leaguer since 2021, has some defensive versatility.
He is mainly a third baseman, but can also play second and the outfield.
Shortstop is not near the top of his best positions, but the Dodgers don’t have much of a choice.
When Betts returns – probably on Thursday – the team will likely give him some time at shortstop.
As a reminder, he came through the minor league ranks in the mid-2010s with the Boston Red Sox as a second baseman, and was moved to the outfield shortly after that.
His bat will obviously play anywhere in the diamond, and he is athletic enough to at least handle shortstop in a pinch.
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