Dodgers News: Mookie Betts Expected to Remain Dodgers Full-Time Shortstop in 2026
ORLANDO, FL—After making significant defensive improvements, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed during the annual Major League Baseball Winter Meetings that Mookie Betts will return to shortstop for the 2026 season.
“Really proud of what Mookie did at shortstop. Even that last play in the World Series, he worked on that play a lot to not make that ball go arm side,” Roberts said. “On the run, fielded, runner bearing down on you, to then throw it on the run and throw a strike to Freddie, that’s just a little snippet of his growth.”
During the 2024 season, Betts transitioned to shortstop, taking over from Gavin Lux, who was moved to second base following several defensive errors in spring training.
Betts stayed at shortstop until a wrist injury in the middle of the season. After he returned, because of his below league-average defensive numbers and the team’s need for him in the outfield, Betts finished the season in right field.
After the Dodgers won the 2024 World Series, General Manager Brandon Gomes confirmed that Betts will have another chance to play shortstop in the 2025 season, this time with the entire offseason to prepare for the switch.
Following collaborations with ex-All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and seasoned infielder Miguel Rojas, Betts’s dedication during winter and spring training resulted in a smooth transition and better defensive stats across the board.
Mookie Betts earned his seventh Fielding Bible Award, tying with Yadier Molina and Andrelton Simmons for the most wins since 2006. Betts previously won as a right fielder in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2022, and received the multi-position Award in 2023.
This year, Betts led the National League shortstops with 17 Defensive Runs Saved and a 12 Total Zone Rating. According to Baseball Savant’s Fielding Run Value, Wynn (+17) and Allen (+12) were the top performers in the NL, with Betts at +3. In Outs Above Average, Wynn (+21) was the leader, followed by Allen (+17), while Betts scored +5.
Those stats also earned Betts a nomination for the Gold Glove Award, where he’d fall short to winner Masyn Winn of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Still, with no immediate solution and the Dodgers not involved in the free agent market for Bo Bichette or the trade market for Corey Seager, who is expected to be shopped this winter, Betts was the clear-cut solution for the position again in 2026.
The Dodgers’ infield is mostly arranged around Betts, with Freddie Freeman at first base, Max Muncy at third, and a mix of Miguel Rojas, Hyeseong Kim, and Tommy Edman at second.
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