Mookie Betts will stay at shortstop but drop to No. 2 in Dodgers’ order behind Shohei Ohtani

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts will remain at shortstop, but drop to the No. 2 spot in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup when he returns from a broken left hand next week, manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday.

Shohei Ohtani will continue batting leadoff, where he has hit .307 with 33 runs scored, 15 home runs and 35 RBI since Betts got hurt on June 16.

The NL West-leading Dodgers open a four-game series at Milwaukee next Monday, when Betts is set to rejoin the team.

Betts moved to the leadoff spot shortly after joining the Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox in 2020, and he’s made it known he prefers to be there. He was hitting .304 with 10 homers in 72 games before getting hit by a pitch.

The top of the Dodgers’ lineup will be Ohtani, Betts and Freddie Freeman beginning next week.

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