Mookie Betts’ Bold Move: From Right Field to Shortstop
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Picture this: It’s mid-August last year, and Mookie Betts is having a heart-to-heart with the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ coaches. He’s been sidelined, nursing a broken wrist, and as he surveys the team, a realization hits him like a fastball: It’s time to head back to right field.
For months, Betts had been on a mission, diving headfirst into the challenge of mastering shortstop during a major league season. It was a humbling journey, but one that also fueled his competitive spirit. On the day he decided to step back, Chris Woodward, then an adviser, approached him with respect and gratitude for his efforts.
“Oh, it ain’t over yet,” Betts declared. “For now it’s over, but we’re going to win the World Series, and then I’m coming back.”
Fast forward to the present, and Woodward, now the Dodgers’ full-time first-base coach and infield instructor, recalls that conversation with a smile. The Dodgers did indeed capture a championship last fall, and Betts, the perennial Gold Glove outfielder, is set to become the everyday shortstop for one of the most talented baseball teams ever assembled.
From November to February, Betts was a man on a mission, visiting high school and collegiate infields throughout the L.A. area almost daily. His goal? To solidify the details of a transition he hadn’t had time to fully prepare for last season.
Pedro Montero, one of the Dodgers’ video coordinators, was his constant companion, capturing Betts’ every move on an iPad and sending the clips to Woodward for review. The trio was in constant communication, fine-tuning Betts’ skills.
By the time spring training rolled around, Woodward noticed a “night and day” difference in Betts’ performance. But he also acknowledged the difficulty of the task at hand, noting that meaningful games would be the ultimate test.
The Dodgers have lauded Betts for his unselfish act, which paved the way for Teoscar Hernandez and Michael Conforto to join their corner outfield, strengthening their lineup. Betts himself has said his move to shortstop is about doing “what I feel like is best for the team.” But it’s also clear that he relishes the challenge and the chance to prove doubters wrong.
“Mookie wants to be the best player in baseball, and I don’t see why he wouldn’t want that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think if you play shortstop, with his bat, that gives him a better chance.”
ONLY 21 PLAYERS since 1900 have registered 100 career games in right field and 100 career games at shortstop, according to ESPN Research. This list is mostly filled with lifelong utility men. The closest to Betts’ path might be Tony Womack, who transitioned from an everyday right fielder to an everyday shortstop. However, Womack had prior professional shortstop experience.
Betts, on the other hand, had only 13 starts at shortstop in his first 12 years of professional baseball, all in rookie ball and Low-A from 2011 to 2012. His path as a no-doubt Hall of Famer and nine-time Gold Glove right fielder switching to one of the sport’s most demanding positions in his 30s is unprecedented. Yet, the Dodgers believe if anyone can do it, it’s Betts.
“Mookie’s different,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “I think this kind of challenge is really fun for him. He’s had to put in a lot of hard work — a lot of work that people haven’t seen — but I just think he’s such a different guy when it comes to the challenge of it that he’s really enjoying it.”
Betts began the 2024 season as the primary second baseman but transitioned to shortstop on March 8, 12 days before the Dodgers opened their season in South Korea, due to throwing issues with Gavin Lux. For the next three months, Betts underwent a rigorous pregame routine alongside teammate Miguel Rojas and third-base coach Dino Ebel.
The metrics were unfavorable, and traditional statistics painted an unflattering picture. Betts committed nine errors at shortstop, eight due to errant throws. However, the Dodgers were impressed by his quick grasp of pre-pitch timing, range, and completion of difficult plays.
After the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees to win their first full-season championship since 1988, Betts expressed his belief that, with proper time, he would figure it out.
“If Mook really wants to do something, he’s going to do everything he can to be an elite, elite shortstop,” Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said. “I’m not going to bet against that guy.”
THE FIRST TASK was determining what type of shortstop Betts would be. Woodward consulted with Ryan Goins, the current Los Angeles Angels infield coach and one of Betts’ best friends. They agreed he should play “downhill,” attacking the baseball and making more one-handed plays.
During a prior stint on the Dodgers’ coaching staff, Woodward implemented the same style with Corey Seager, who was deemed too tall to remain a shortstop.
“He doesn’t love the old-school, right-left, two-hands, make-sure-you-get-in-front-of-the-ball type of thing,” Woodward said of Betts. “I want them to be athletic, like the best athlete they can possibly be.”
Dodger Stadium underwent a major renovation, making the field unusable and turning Montero and Betts into nomads. They trained at various locations, including Crespi Carmelite High School and Sierra Canyon.
Betts even flew to Austin, Texas, for tutelage from Troy Tulowitzki, a five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner. In early January, Betts trained with Woodward in Arizona.
Montero was the eyes and ears on the ground, while Woodward advised from afar. Their sessions evolved from three days a week to five, focusing on footwork skills and giving Betts plenty of reps on every ground ball imaginable.
By January, Betts had developed a detailed routine to prevent overworking during games. What was once hundreds of ground balls was pared down to around 35, but everything was accounted for.
LAST YEAR, BETTS’ throws were challenging for Freddie Freeman to catch at first base. But in spring training, Freeman noticed crisp throws with backspin that consistently hit the target. Betts was getting his legs under him on batted balls, and Rojas noted he “found his slot.”
“Finding your slot is very important because you’re throwing the ball from a different position than when you throw it from right field,” Rojas explained. “He’s understanding now that you need a slot to throw the ball to first base, second base, and home.”
Dodgers super-utility player Enrique Hernandez noticed a “more loose” Betts at shortstop this spring. Roberts said Betts is “two grades better” than last year, before a sprained left wrist ended his first attempt. Betts described himself as “a completely new person over there.”
“But we’ll see,” he added.
The games will be the real test. Woodward emphasized that as long as Betts’ process is sound, imperfection is acceptable.
“This is dirt,” Woodward often tells him. “This isn’t perfect.”
The Dodgers don’t need Betts to be their shortstop. If it doesn’t work out, he can return to second base. Rojas, the superior defender, can fill in part-time, as can Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim.
But it’s clear Betts wants to give it another shot.
As Roberts acknowledged, “He certainly felt he had unfinished business.”
Originally Written by: Alden Gonzalez
