The Los Angeles Dodgers are planning a slight lineup alteration for Mookie Betts in 2026.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he will likely place Betts third in a stacked lineup this season, per The Athletic's Katie Woo. The former Boston Red Sox star would occupy that spot against both right-handed and left-handed starting pitchers.
Betts spent all of last season batting second behind Shohei Ohtani. The eight-time All-Star maintained that precious real estate despite batting .258/.326/.406 (all career worsts) in a down year.
Although he hit .229 with zero home runs in 17 postseason games, Betts at least kept reaching base by drawing 10 walks. Yet moving to the No. 3 spot could place more pressure on the 33-year-old rediscovering his power stroke after following 2023's 39-homer campaign with 39 combined home runs in the last two seasons.
It'll still be awfully hard for Roberts to fill out a bad lineup card.
Ohtani will continue to lead off following his third consecutive MVP season. Freddie Freeman or offseason signing Kyle Tucker will likely precede Betts in the No. 2 slot, with the other potentially occupying the cleanup role.
Roberts has plenty of other options. Fellow left-handed slugger Max Muncy could also bat second or fourth versus righties, whom he hit .267/.409/.514 against in 2025. Will Smith made a strong case for prominent placement after notching a .901 OPS last year, and Teoscar Hernandez remains a potent power source.
Considering their embarrassment of riches, the Dodgers would be giving Betts the benefit of the doubt by batting him third. The seven-time Silver Slugger may need to prove last year was a fluke to avoid an in-season move down the order.
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