Mookie Magic: Betts Make Surprise Return to Shortstop, Glasnow Takes Mound

We already knew the Dodgers planned to have Mookie Betts move back to the infield in 2025, which general manager Brandon Gomes said was the plan back in November at the GM meetings. Gomes and manager Dave Roberts clarified things a bit on Monday at the winter meetings, saying Betts will play shortstop next season.

Roberts during his media availability later on Monday said Betts already began his offseason work at shortstop, where Betts started 61 times before breaking his left hand on June 16, in addition to 11 starts at second base. Once Betts returned from the injured list in August, he moved back to right field, where he made all of his starts but one (at second base) through the rest of the regular season as well as October.

Both Gomes and Roberts expressed confidence Betts would be able to handle the position defensively.

“It’s an easy bet to bet on him with the full offseason, and just feeling good right now where we’re at,” Roberts told reporters during his media availability. “I think the footwork was fine, getting to the baseball, catching it, securing it, was good. It’s just the adjustment from the outfield, the longer stroke to the infield, and different arm angles led to some errant throws.”

With Betts at shortstop, it’s likely the Dodgers will still look to add an outfielder even after signing Michael Conforto. They are widely reported to still be in on Teoscar Hernández, who has expressed his desire to return to Los Angeles.

“He put himself in a very good position as a free agent in his walk year, having a very productive year,” Roberts said of Hernández. “He’s got some decisions to make as well, so he’s going to kind of suss those out. It’d be hard for me not to see him coming back.”

Tyler Glasnow, who missed the final seven weeks of the regular season and all of October with an elbow sprain, is throwing, Gomes told reporters in Dallas. From Cary Osborne at Dodgers Insider.

“We expect a fairly normal offseason and he’s feeling really good and excited to start ramping up,” Gomes said.

Roberts reiterated that Shohei Ohtani won’t be ready to pitch when the Dodgers begin their season in Tokyo in March, but that the expectation is that Ohtani will still be able to hit. This echoes statements from earlier in the offseason. It has less to do with the left shoulder surgery Ohtani had in November to repair his torn labrum, and more stemming from his right elbow surgery from September 2023, and the rehab pace set after not pitching at all in 2024.