Cody Snavely
As the 2025 Major League Baseball offseason passes along, we’re getting more clarity on what the Dodgers’ 26-man roster will likely look like when the team heads to Tokyo, Japan, to kick off the 2025 regular season.
We’re currently in one of the most pivotal weeks during the offseason, with the annual Winter Meetings taking place in Dallas, Texas, and multiple trades and free agency movements potentially set to take place over the coming days.
Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Brandon Gomes was in the spotlight this past Monday and gave an interesting update on the Dodgers’ infield plans for the upcoming season.
In the interview, Gomes stated that eight-time all-star and three-time World Series champion Mookie Betts would be preparing to become the team’s full-time starting shortstop, which shocked many insiders who believed that Betts would be heading back to second base.
What are the ramifications of the move, and what could the Dodgers’ infield potentially look like when position players report to camp in February?
Betts Will Get Another Crack at SS
For the second straight season, the Dodgers are expected to give the Mookie Betts at shortstop experiment a try. However, unlike last year, where the team threw him in the fire with less than a week left of Cactus League action, the 32-year-old will have the entire winter to prepare.
Still, that does not make this move any less controversial to those around the industry who saw Betts struggle at the premier position for the first half of the 2024 regular season.
Offensively, Betts was arguably the best shortstop in the league in the first half of the season, with a .304/.405/.488 slash line, .892 OPS, ten home runs, and forty RBIs in seventy-two games. And was on pace to be the starting shortstop in the 2024 Major League Baseball All-Star Game for the National League.
However, defensively, it was a different story. Despite months of rigorous pregame work trying to perfect his craft, Betts was one of the worst defensive shortstops in the league.
In 531.1 innings at shortstop this past season, Betts had a -4 OAA (Outs Above Average), a career-worst nine errors, a .963 fielding percentage, and a 76% success rate in 217 attempts, although most of his errors last season as Gomes pointed out where throwing errors.
In the same conversation, Gomes elaborated that he is confident in Betts’ athleticism and his ability to reach the range for the position.
Betts, being the competitor that he is, will take the challenge head-on. I think many fans undervalue the ability to have all offseason to train and prepare for the switch.
With Betts expected to be the full-time shortstop, what does that mean for the other shortstops on the roster?
For starters, utilityman Tommy Edman, who took over the shortstop gig in October during the Dodgers World Series run, will take over as the primary center fielder.
Veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas, who is returning after the Dodgers picked up his $5 million club option, will more than likely have a bench role shifting around the infield, which was the role the team wanted him to fill when they reacquired him two offseasons ago.
Muncy “Expected” to Remain Full-Time 3B
One position that remains unchanged for now is Max Muncy remaining the full-time third baseman. Brandon Gomes stated he expects Muncy to be the Opening Day third baseman for the upcoming season.
“Muncy’s going to play third base for us. He’s such a big piece of what we do and has been a staple. So yeah, Max is playing third base.”
Since the Dodgers signed all-star Freddie Freeman to a 6-year, $162 million contract before the 2022 season, Muncy has played primarily third base.
Muncy, 34, has been a massive part of the Dodgers’ offensive identity since his arrival during the 2018 season. Despite missing more than half the season due to a rib and oblique injury, Muncy put together a solid 2024 campaign with a .232/.358/.494 slash line, .852 OPS, and a 135 wRC+.
Defensively, Muncy made tremendous strides. The lefty was adamant that he wanted to improve, especially since the Dodgers had signed Shohei Ohtani to a massive 10-year deal, ending his days filling in as a possible designated hitter.
Muncy ranked in the 64th percentile in OAA and posted a respectable DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) of five.
However, one name that has continued to pop up for the Los Angeles Dodgers, whether by their fans or the media, is St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Arenado has become a hot name in the trade market as the Cardinals, despite being in a weak National League Central, are looking to retool their roster. Current President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak is looking to clean house in his final year before Chaim Bloom replaces him after this season.
Arenado, 33, still has three years and $74 million left on his current contract, which a few years ago would have been no big deal. However, the ten-time Gold Glove Award winner is coming off back-to-back disappointing seasons.
Since 2023, Arenado is slashing .269/.320/.426 with a .746 OPS, 104 wRC+, along with forty-two home runs and 164 RBIs.
This past season saw dips in offensive numbers across the board. However, the righty still ranked in the 88th percentile in Whiff% (17.2) and 92nd percentile in K% (14.5) and still was an above-average fielder at the hot corner with a six DRS .977 fielding percentage, and ranking in the 95th percentile in OAA.
The hiccup in any trade for Arenado is that the all-star third baseman has a full no-trade clause and the aforementioned salary he is due to receive over the next three seasons.
If the Dodgers were to swing a trade for Arenado and retain Max Muncy, they could shift Muncy back to second base, a position he has not played regularly since 2022.
Arenado would also indirectly help out Mookie Betts at shortstop, as Arenado’s range is still far superior to Muncy’s at third. Thus, Betts would be able to limit the deep throws and backhand plays that are more difficult for a shortstop.
Offensively, Arenado would benefit from hitting in a lineup with so much star power where he’d slot in the bottom third of the order and have much more protection than he has ever had in his playing career.
What Is the Plan for Gavin Lux?
Perhaps the biggest question mark heading into next season is what the Dodgers will do with former top prospect Gavin Lux.
In back-to-back seasons, Lux failed to earn the full-time shortstop position, having a season-ending knee injury in 2023 during spring training and being replaced by Betts a week before the team departed for Seoul, Korea, for the first two games of the regular season.
Despite the swift change, Lux took the demotion like a champ and still put together an average defensive campaign, ranking in the 34th percentile in OAA and posting a DRS of -2 and a .980 fielding percentage.
Offensively, it was a tale of two halves for Lux. During the first half of the regular season, Lux was borderline unplayable, posting a 64 wRC+. However, after the all-star break, that quickly changed.
From July 17th until the end of the season, Lux hit .304/.390/.508 with a .899 OPS and a 152 wRC+ and was one of the Dodgers’ best hitters in late July and August.
And to put the cherry on top of his first full season returning from his gruesome injury, Lux hit the game-tying sacrifice fly in game five of the 2024 World Series, helping secure the eighth title in franchise history.
When it was announced that Betts would be a full-time infielder for the 2025 season, many, including myself, thought Lux would be the odd man out unless they gave the 27-year-old another crack at short.
However, with Betts now slated to be the full-time shortstop to start the season, it seems as though Lux, for now, does have his spot at second base still open.
However, if the team trades for Arenado or adds another infielder, Gavin Lux’s days with the Dodgers seem to be numbered.
Still, the Dodgers value Lux extremely high, which has been shown. Nevertheless, their willingness to give him multiple opportunities, whether at second base, shortstop, or even the adventure in the outfield a few seasons ago, will be a topic of discussion this winter if they still value him the same.
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