Dodgers move Bates to SS, Lux returns to 2B

Manager Dave Roberts announced the change as “permanent for now” 12 days before the start of the season.

Glendale, Arizona — mookie bets The box is already changing location los angeles dodgers, going till small area From second base,

Los Angeles had planned to make the six-time Gold Glove and seven-time All-Star outfielder its regular second baseman, but he was moved to shortstop for Friday night’s spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds. Manager Dave Roberts announced the change as “permanent for now” 12 days before the start of the season.

expected shortstop gavin lux Has had trouble in the field, primarily with short throws to first base. The Dodgers moved the 26-year-old back to second base, a position where he made 153 starts over four years. Given a chance to be the Dodgers’ shortstop last year, Lux tore his right ACL while running the bases in a spring training game on February 27 and underwent surgery that ended his career. Its season will start on March 7.

“Taking this step now is something the entire organization feels is the right thing to do to stop the run and give us the best chance to win baseball games,” Roberts said. “I think, especially for Gavin, it gives him an opportunity to get to the other side of the diamond… So, getting him back there, shortening the throws, should cost his body less overall and give him a One should be given a chance to achieve success”.

Los Angeles will open the season on March 20 against the San Diego Padres, part of a two-game series in Seoul, South Korea.

Bates hit .307 with 39 home runs and a career-high 107 RBIs last season, finishing second in National League Most Valuable Player voting. He played 107 games in right field, 70 at second base, and 16 at shortstop in his 10th major league season. Those were his first minor league games in the majors.

The heavy-handed Bates was a minor league infielder in the Boston organization before moving to the outfield. He was the American League’s Most Valuable Player in 2018 when the Boston Red Sox won the World Series.

“It’s definitely a change. But it’s also fun,” Bates told reporters after Friday’s game. “You can’t make it any more pressure. There’s always a lot of pressure, especially going in and being a Dodger, it’s a lot of pressure. So being a Dodger, being a shortstop for the Dodgers, it’s a lot of pressure. But I love it. “

Roberts said there were talks with Bates and Lux ​​about the move Thursday. The coach said both players agreed with the decision and Bates described the conversation as “fantastic”.

“It’s something I know he didn’t expect, we didn’t expect, but he’s excited about it,” Roberts told reporters. “And a lot of times he’s going to kick to second base. And I was very clear that that could be a possibility sometimes, but to understand the shortstop.”

Bates said it didn’t matter where he played; The objective remains the same.

“We’re all on the same page here,” he said. “We don’t care what happens. We just want to win. We don’t care how we get there. The most important thing is to win. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care. I really don’t care Is.” I’ve said it a million times. I just want to win. “You can put me anywhere. As long as I’m on the diamond, I’ll do my best and we’ll see what happens after that.” ,

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.