There’s a lot to be thankful for as the Los Angeles advance to the National League Championship Series and return to Stadium with a 2-0 series lead over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Star shortstop Mookie Betts and veteran Miguel Rojas were recently named finalists for the Gold Glove Award, adding to the list of things to be thankful for. Betts mentioned how lucky he is to have a player like Rojas in his corner during an unprecedented transition to the infield.
Betts has always been a right fielder, played second base in the minors, and only appeared in a few games as a shortstop, making not only a smooth transition, but also doing so at an elite level.
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“Really having Miggy was like one of the greatest blessings I’ve ever had,” Betts said. “He’s very knowledgeable about baseball in general, but especially the shortstop position. … When you have teammates who are actually in the game, you can ask questions during the game and in between pitches. (He) always has an answer and always gives his best every day.”
Betts made 17 defensive saves this season among all MLB-eligible shortstops, which Rojas accomplished three seasons ago, and tied him for the most saves in MLB among active shortstops with 15.
Betts is also an elite defender in the above-average outs metric, ranking in the 90th percentile across MLB.
There’s a reason why so many people view Rojas as a leader in the clubhouse and someone who could be a coach the day after his playing days (as Rojas told Nation’s Doug McCain late last month). But his combination with Betts, who helps him out while swapping positions, is truly special, and Betts protecting the infield is a big reason why the were able to have so much success this year.
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Photo credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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