Mookie Betts Says 2024 Season Will Be "Dream Come True"

It was a stunning announcement from the Los Angeles Dodgers this past week, when they affirmed that six-time Gold Glover in the outfield, Mookie Betts, would be the team's starter at shortstop for 2024. To be clear, he hadn't played the position in the majors at ALL until last season, and even then it was just for 16 games. 

The former AL MVP explains that this move is a "dream come true" for him:

Mookie reacts to being named Dodgers' starting SS

He hasn't been an everyday SS since he was 18 years old 👀

(via On Base with Mookie Betts) pic.twitter.com/fYDHLMxmqd

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) March 10, 2024

“When I was named the shortstop, that was super special to me," said Betts. "I hadn't played shortstop—knowing I was going to play shortstop every day—since I was 18. I'm 31. That's a long time to not play everyday shortstop. So this is a dream come true… That was probably one of the coolest things of my life, knowing that I get to do it again, I get to do what I haven't done since I was 18 years old.” 

Before last season, Betts had played his entire major league career in the outfield, except for 14 games at second base in his rookie season back in 2014, and a handful of games at 2B in 2021 and 2022. But in 2023, he almost split his time between the outfield and the infield, playing 70 games at second, and those 16 at short, with 107 in the OF. 

Coming up through the minors, however, he played second base almost exclusively with a few games at short sprinkled in. 

Given the athlete that Betts is, with on MVP and three other runner-up finishes, along with a career OPS of .900, along with 252 homers, and 172 stolen bases, we think he'll do just fine in his new "dream" job. 

Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports