The short-handed Dodgers tried something new with Mookie Betts on Thursday.
The two-time World Series champion celebrated the birth of his baby boy Wednesday and didn’t start Los Angeles’ game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. He was activated from the paternity list Thursday and showed up to the stadium during the first inning. He pinch hit in the top of the seventh inning for Luke Williams and took over at shortstop for the first time in his major league career.
“It was like a dream come true,” Betts told reporters, per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. “I got drafted as a shortstop and hadn’t seen it since like 2011. I’m happy we won.”
Betts added: “Grew up doing this, so it’s not new to me. It’s new to everyone else.”
The 30-year-old batted 1-for-2 on the night in the Dodgers’ 6-2 win over the Cubs, and he turned an impressive double play in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Betts occasionally had played second base since joining the Dodgers in a 2020 trade with the Red Sox. The Gold Glove outfielder also had played the position in Boston, but as he said, he was drafted by the Red Sox as a shortstop. However, he only played 13 games at the position when he was with the Lowell Spinners in 2012, and he primarily played second base when he was promoted from short-season Single-A.
“He made it look really easy and athletic,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters, per Rogers.
The Dodgers are short-handed at the position with Gavin Lux out for the season with a torn ACL, Chris Taylor suffering a side injury earlier this week and Miguel Rojas landing on the injured list Wednesday with a hamstring strain. So it would not be a surprise if fans got to see more of Betts at shortstop, which he showed Thursday he is up to the task if called upon.
