Dodgers’ Andrew Friedman Reveals Plan for Mookie Betts at Shortstop

The Dodgers have done plenty to augment their depth at the shortstop position since Mookie Betts went down with a fracture in his left hand on June 16.

Miguel Rojas got a long run and mostly thrived, hitting .262 while playing his typically excellent defense at the position after taking over as the everyday starter. More recently, however, his production began to flag as the effects of a forearm strain set in — eventually sending Rojas to the injured list on July 22.

The Dodgers then acquired Amed Rosario in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. They also picked up veteran Nick Ahmed, who had been designated for assignment by the San Francisco Giants. Ahmed has been the primary starter in Rojas’ absence, with Rosario starting once.

How much shortstop will Betts play once he returns — expected to be next week in Milwaukee, when the Dodgers begin their next road trip?

A “decent amount,” according to Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations.

Speaking to MLB Network’s Brian Kenny on Tuesday, Friedman spoke glowingly of the work that Betts has put in this year, his first season seeing extensive time at shortstop since he was a minor leaguer in the Boston Red Sox organization.

“For us, we’ve talked about this some, I can’t say enough about Mookie — his willingness to do this in the middle of March, the amount of effort he put into it, getting off the ball, and securing the ball, and the range were well above average,” Friedman said. “The struggles he had was throwing: how to get his body in the right position to throw. It’s a different throw for him. Obviously it’s an extreme arm talent. Actually right before he got hit, our coaches kind of challenged him on … get your body in the right position to make throws. The hardest stuff he was doing really well.”

It sounds as if Friedman does not want to slow Betts’ momentum by taking him off the only position he’s been working at since March.

“Anyone who knows Mookie knows when that challenge was put out, he went about attacking it,” Friedman told Kenny. “Broke his hand two days later and has spent these eight weeks just attacking this.”

That’s understandable, though it invites the obvious question of what will happen to Rosario and Ahmed once Betts returns — to say nothing of Rojas, once he returns from his own injury.

Despite the talented shortstops around him, Friedman isn’t betting against Betts holding his own.

“I will take the other side of anyone who ever wants to bet against Mookie in anything,” Friedman said. “I’ll take the other side.”

Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports

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