The Los Angeles Dodgers have been very slow to start Spring Training, to say the least.
LA is 2-5 to start the Cactus League, and many players are still trying to find the groove of things.
Three-time World Series champion Mookie Betts is trying to play shortstop once again, as he tried last season. During the 2024 season, Betts played shortstop regularly, as former Dodger Gavin Lux had throwing issues during spring training.
Betts played more than 531 innings at shortstop last season and committed nine errors. Scoring a .963 fielding percentage, which would put Betts for the second-most errors among shortstops with fewer than 70 games played. Betts’ season was also injury-riddled due to a broken hand, as he missed 45 games.
The Boston Red Sox originally drafted Betts as a shortstop but eventually moved him to right field, where Betts has since won six gold gloves. Betts has been a defensive wizard at different positions on the diamond, such as second base, the outfield and shortstop.
Another key takeaway has been newly acquired second baseman, Hyeseong Kim.
Kim has struggled mightily at the plate in 5 games and has recorded only one hit and two walks. The Dodgers knew Kim’s bat would need to transition to the Majors, but his defense has been on par.
During the offseason, Kim signed a three-year, $12.5 million contract, along with a two-year option for 2028 and 2029. Kim, coming from the Nexen Heroes in the KBO in South Korea, hit .304 with 37 home runs, 386 RBI, and 211 stolen bases in 953 games across eight seasons. He also won four KBO Golden Glove Awards for his defensive ability.
Kim could start the 2025 season with the Oklahoma City Comet, the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate. Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts said Kim is competing for that second base.
“I would say, if there’s one part of it, the question mark, I would say it is the bat,” Roberts said. “I think that’s something that the competition is different over there than here, just adjusting … He bet on himself to come here and to compete, and so right now he’s in a competition to earn a job with us.”
The emergence of veterans Eddie Rosario and David Bote has been striking. Both Rosario and Bote signed to minor-league deals for the chance to make the big-league roster. Both have made strong cases to start the spring as Rosario hit the first homer for the Dodgers this spring and Bote has batted .667 with six RBIs. Due to recent struggles by Kim and Chris Taylor, these two have a chance to make the opening-day roster when the Dodgers travel to Japan to face the Chicago Cubs.