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Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts ended up finishing as a Gold Glove finalist in his first full season at his new position.
Betts spent the entire offseason working on his fielding after he played a brief stint in the infield during the 2024 season. He struggled at shortstop during those few appearances, and Betts ended up finishing the season back in right field.
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However, after diligent work, he successfully transitioned to a full-time shortstop. He led the National League in Defensive Runs Saved in 2025, while sitting in the 74th percentile in fielding run value, according to Baseball Savant.
His arm strength was only 29th percentile, though his time in the outfield proves that he has a strong arm, which means he made some mechanical changes to get the ball out of his glove faster at the cost of his throwing power.
Betts’ range ranked in the 92nd percentile out of all shortstops in baseball. By all the metrics, he was one of the best fielders in the game at a position that he had not played since his high school days.
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The offseason work paid off, and Betts felt like he did all that he could to improve his fielding, regardless of whether he won an award or not.
“It was a goal to be the best I could be,” Betts said. “If it came with a Gold Glove, cool. If it didn’t come with a Gold Glove, cool. I can go to bed at night knowing that I did everything I could. That’s all I care about.”
His move to shortstop did come at a cost to his offense, which sat at league-average, far below where he has typically been.
Additionally, his departure from the outfield meant Teoscar Hernandez moved to right field, where he has struggled to field at a respectable level.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has already pencilled Betts in at shortstop for next season, hoping that an offseason of work on his offense can help the All-Star get back to his two-way heights.
Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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