DODGERS NOTES: BETTS, OHTANI, WERTH

Mookie Betts was tasked with being the Dodgers’ primary shortstop at the beginning of the season, a position that he hadn’t played as a starter since high school.

So far into the season, Betts has impressed both president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts with his defensive work, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

Per Friedman: “I will say that where he is right now is where we hoped he would be in July, August,” Friedman says of Betts’ defense at the new position.”

Per Roberts: “I’d grade him (Betts) out a solid B+ for me. And it’s hard to imagine me even saying that right now, given that he started not playing the position. So it’s really, really impressive. And it’s only going to get better.”

Betts has displayed a wide range defensively, as his five DRS are tied for second among all shortstops in baseball, however the analytics determine that he is far from a finished product, indicated by a -2.4 UZR and -1 OAA.

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Shohei Ohtani through his first 32 games as a Dodger leads the team in home runs, ranks ninth in baseball in batting average and ranks fifth in baseball in OPS. If there has been any kryptonite for Ohtani, it would be his ability to hit with runners in scoring position.

Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times explains the reasoning for why Ohtani has struggled to produce in clutch opportunities.

“Certainly,” Roberts said, “he feels like he’s the best option to drive in a run.” Of course, as the manager conceded, that does give pitchers a way to exploit Ohtani, tempting him with offerings out of the zone that he sometimes shouldn’t be chasing. Yet, at the same time, Roberts said, “I think his DNA … is to want to swing the bat.” Which, in the manager’s opinion, “is still a good thing.”

Former Dodgers outfielder Jayson Werth last played in a major league game in 2017 with the Washington Nationals. Now, seven years since his final game, Werth has a horse that is prepared to compete in the Kentucky Derby. Steve Henson of the Los Angeles Times has more on Werth’s newest endeavour.

As temperatures have risen in the spring, so have the Dodgers’ play over their past ten games, as they have posted a 8-2 record while winning their past three series. Bob Nightengale of USA Today writes about the Dodgers’ recent hot streak, noting that the team is finally starting to live up to their expectations.

2024-05-03T14:06:32Z dg43tfdfdgfd