{"id":28098,"date":"2025-02-23T03:55:46","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T03:55:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098"},"modified":"2025-02-23T03:55:46","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T03:55:46","slug":"mookie-betts-worked-with-gold-glove-shortstop-who-thinks-dodgers-star-can-be-elite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098","title":{"rendered":"Mookie Betts Worked With Gold Glove Shortstop, Who Thinks Dodgers Star Can Be Elite"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\"Feb<\/picture><\/figure>\n
Feb 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images \/ Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n

When the Los Angeles Dodgers announced the Mookie Betts shortstop experiment was over last season, many fans sighed with relief when the star returned to right field.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

Betts is a six-time Gold Glove winner in right field, it’s a position he thrives in and is most comfortable in. But when the Dodgers asked him to make the switch to shortstop in 2024, a practically unheard of request, Betts complied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to win,\u201d Betts said in September.<\/p>\n

Last spring training, Betts began Cactus League play as the Dodgers’ second baseman. But he was quickly moved to shortstop when Gavin Lux showed difficulty with being the team’s infield quarterback.<\/p>\n

The Dodgers star had little time to adjust to the new position, and it showed at times in his defense. This offseason, the Dodgers announced Betts would be returning to shortstop for the 2025 season and he spent the winter preparing to do so.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

The progress Betts has made this offseason is second to none, according to five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t believe the strides that he made,\u201d Tulowitzki said. \u201cI say to do something, and it\u2019s pretty much done in a day or two. And then once he went home, he would send me video back, and I\u2019m like, \u2018Yeah, that\u2019s it, man.\u2019 Talk about a pretty easy guy to work with. He\u2019s special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t say this for anybody else that\u2019s just spent however many years in the outfield and then go to the infield,\u201d Tulowitzki said of a position change that has no equivalent in recent baseball history. \u201cBut I can truly tell you, I think he can be an elite defender at the position \u2014 which is just crazy to say.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\u201cTo be one of the best defenders in the game, if not the best with the Platinum Gloves and Gold Gloves and all that, and then to go to shortstop. I’d watch him play [last year] and was like, \u2018Eh, he\u2019s OK there.\u2019 But that\u2019s what he should be.”<\/p>\n

Heading into the 2025 season, Betts playing at shortstop is no longer an experiment. An offseason of hard work has Betts poised to settle smoothly into his new role.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Feb 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28102,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nMookie Betts Worked With Gold Glove Shortstop, Who Thinks Dodgers Star Can Be Elite - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mookie Betts Worked With Gold Glove Shortstop, Who Thinks Dodgers Star Can Be Elite - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Feb 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-23T03:55:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/01jmqxv71k9qz42h69cf.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"405\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098\",\"name\":\"Mookie Betts Worked With Gold Glove Shortstop, Who Thinks Dodgers Star Can Be Elite - 24\/7 News America\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/01jmqxv71k9qz42h69cf.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-02-23T03:55:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-02-23T03:55:46+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fd584257b8aaef08c4e2bc73ee6a914\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/01jmqxv71k9qz42h69cf.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/01jmqxv71k9qz42h69cf.jpg\",\"width\":720,\"height\":405},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Mookie Betts Worked With Gold Glove Shortstop, Who Thinks Dodgers Star Can Be Elite\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/\",\"name\":\"24\/7 News America\",\"description\":\"Breaking Stories, Real Insights"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fd584257b8aaef08c4e2bc73ee6a914\",\"name\":\"Admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ab07af1f129ef9c67f3a58e6273eac4d8eb51a1cb066ea995eb6d5f03eceb61b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ab07af1f129ef9c67f3a58e6273eac4d8eb51a1cb066ea995eb6d5f03eceb61b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Admin\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?author=2\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Mookie Betts Worked With Gold Glove Shortstop, Who Thinks Dodgers Star Can Be Elite - 24\/7 News America","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Mookie Betts Worked With Gold Glove Shortstop, Who Thinks Dodgers Star Can Be Elite - 24\/7 News America","og_description":"Feb 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark...","og_url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098","og_site_name":"24\/7 News America","article_published_time":"2025-02-23T03:55:46+00:00","og_image":[{"width":720,"height":405,"url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/01jmqxv71k9qz42h69cf.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Admin","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098","url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098","name":"Mookie Betts Worked With Gold Glove Shortstop, Who Thinks Dodgers Star Can Be Elite - 24\/7 News America","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/01jmqxv71k9qz42h69cf.jpg","datePublished":"2025-02-23T03:55:46+00:00","dateModified":"2025-02-23T03:55:46+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fd584257b8aaef08c4e2bc73ee6a914"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/01jmqxv71k9qz42h69cf.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/01jmqxv71k9qz42h69cf.jpg","width":720,"height":405},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28098#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Mookie Betts Worked With Gold Glove Shortstop, Who Thinks Dodgers Star Can Be Elite"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/","name":"24\/7 News America","description":"Breaking Stories, Real Insights"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fd584257b8aaef08c4e2bc73ee6a914","name":"Admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ab07af1f129ef9c67f3a58e6273eac4d8eb51a1cb066ea995eb6d5f03eceb61b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ab07af1f129ef9c67f3a58e6273eac4d8eb51a1cb066ea995eb6d5f03eceb61b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Admin"},"url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?author=2"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28098"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28098\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28103,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28098\/revisions\/28103"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}