Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, who debuted in the major leagues in 2014, played for the first time as a shortstop in 10 years. Betts was delighted that it was “a dream come true.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers played an away game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago on the 21st (hereafter Korean time).
Betts, who recently took leave for congratulations and condolences when his wife gave birth to their second child, returned to the team that day and played as a pinch hitter in the 7th inning. Betts, who entered the plate after one out, went to base with a right-handed hit, but the inning ended with the follow-up hitter, Austin Barnes’ third baseman, grounder double play.
In the bottom of the 7th inning after changing the offense and defense, Betts took the position of shortstop. An infielder when he joined Boston in 2011, Betts last played shortstop in the minor leagues in 2012. After making his big league debut in 2014, he switched to an outfielder position because Boston’s “little giant” Dustin Pedroia was guarding second base.
Betts, who won American League MVP with Boston in 2018, has played occasionally at second base since being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. He played 35 innings in 5 games as a second baseman this year, and digested 263 innings in 35 games as a career second baseman in the major leagues. However, as a shortstop, this day is his first experience since his major league debut.
Betts succeeded in a double play with a fantastic jumping throw in the shortstop’s first defense. In the 8th inning, with the score tied 2-2, Boston took chances on first and second base safely with Seiya Suzuki’s walk and Cody Bellinger’s four ball. Patrick Wisdom’s ground ball rolled rather slowly to the side of second base. 메이저사이트
After catching the ball, Betts took two or three steps, stepped on the second base directly, jumped into the air to avoid the runner, threw to first base, and treated it as a double stroke. There was no sense of incongruity with the shortstop defense. With Betts’ rain, he became 2nd and 3rd base, and blocked it without conceding.
Director Dave Roberts praised the double kill scene as “really easy and full of energy.” After the game, Betts said, “It’s a dream come true. I was drafted at shortstop, but I haven’t played since 2011. I’m happy the team won.”