All of Betts’ time at shortstop in the major leagues has come over the last two seasons. He played 16 games at the position in 2023 before accumulating 65 in 2024. Betts had a .972 fielding percentage at shortstop in 2024, making nine errors. But with a full offseason of knowing where he’ll play under his belt, President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman thinks it’ll be a seamless fit, via MLB Network.

“That’s what he’s training for this offseason. To know Mookie, you wouldn’t bet against him,” Friedman said. “His mindset is, ‘I know exactly what I need to do and I’m going to attack it everyday.’ I will let let fools on the other side of the table bet against him. We certainly would not.”

“His ability to get off the ball, his range, the hands all played well above average,” Friedman continued. “He had a hard time getting to his arm. He’s an extreme arm talent. It’s just body positioning and learning and timing. He had to hit the ground running last year. He said he’s going to attack it right now.”

The majority of Betts’ major league games have seen him play outfield, right field to be exact. However, the Dodgers re-signed Toddy Edman and brought Michael Conforto in on a $17 million deal. They still have Andy Pages and James Outman, as well as Chris Taylor who could play anywhere. Ultimately, Betts’ defensive services were more needed in the infield.