For the Dodgers, all that 35-year-old veteran infielder Miguel Rojas did in his first game replacing Mookie Betts at shortstop in the wake of Betts’ broken hand was knock three hits in five at-bats, including a double. He scored twice and recorded an RBI in the 9-5 win over Colorado. The angst about Betts’ absence, for one day at least, was soothed.
Except that it has gone on longer than one day. In 11 games since Betts’ injury, Rojas has batted .350, with an on-base percentage of .386 and a slugging percentage of .450. He has scored eight times and has matched his offensive surge with excellent defense at short, which is still his calling card.
In all, Rojas is hitting .297 on the season, and the Dodgers are 8-2 in the games he’s started since Betts went down. It’s still a very small sample size, but it does raise a valid question: If Rojas continues to provide offensive spark and solid defense, could he hold onto the shortstop job when Betts returns?
It’s a question for manager Dave Roberts, who addressed whether he’d keep Rojas in place even with a healthy Betts this week.
“I would, I would,” Roberts said, via the L.A. Times. “I don’t think anyone can debate the level of shortstop play from Miguel Rojas. Some of it is contingent on the timeline for Mookie’s return and where Miggy is physically and how things are going. But to your question, would I consider it? Absolutely.”
Mookie Betts Could Replace Gavin Lux at Second Base
Moving Betts out of the shortstop spot—if Rojas can continue some level of his recent production—would allow the Dodgers to use him to address some of the team’s more prominent weak spots. Betts could play second base, where Gavin Lux is struggling (.221/.270/.301 slash line), or return to right field to help the team’s weak outfield trio.
Of course, the bigger question is whether Rojas can maintain the production he has put up lately. He is playing over his head and there’s a chance of a reversion to the mean. Rojas is a career .259 hitter and in each of his last two seasons—with the Dodgers in 2023 and the Marlins in 2022—he batted .236.
But if he continues to provide high-level play at shortstop, as long as he is performing better than Lux at the plate, keeping him on and using Betts at second base will make some sense.
Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Wary of Overuse
One concern for Robert is that Rojas’ age and aggressive style of play means he must be careful with how much he uses him. Roberts gave him a day off on Sunday, allowing him two days of rest with Monday’s scheduled off day.
“He’s having a heck of a year offensively and defensively, and I love the edge, the energy, he brings every night,” Roberts said. “The thing I have to be mindful of is managing his playing time because he’s just such a value to our ballclub.
“He will argue like most players that he can play every day, and that should be his mindset. But he’s still an older player who’s had some soft-tissue things, so I will find time to give him days off, because I think it’s best for him and for us long term.”
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Dodgers Could Keep Red-Hot 35-Year-Old in Place of Mookie Betts