Monday, December 2, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
The Los Angeles Dodgers of 2024 had a changing infield, but it did the job. The upcoming season the Dodgers need a new infield.
Freddie Freeman, who had a difficult 2024 season, was the cornerstone of the infield. In 147 games, Freeman had a .282 batting average, 22 home runs, and 89 RBI. During the postseason, he had mixed results because of both rib and ankle injuries. Without Freeman who won the World Series MVP, the Dodgers probably wouldn’t win their first full-season world championship in 36 years. Freeman saved many throwing errors for his fellow infielders. He committed four errors. The Dodgers have Freeman for the next three years.
Gavin Lux was the Dodger primary second baseman after missing the entire 2023 season with a terrible knee injury. During spring training, Lux attempted to play shortstop but couldn’t play the position defensively. At second base, he was a defensive asset. During the regular season, he committed nine errors.
Lux struggled offensively in the first half of the 2024 season, but after the All-Star break, he took off offensively. Still, Lux had a problem with hitting against left-handed pitchers. In 139 games, Lux had a .251 batting average, 10 home runs, and 50 RBI. Since the Dodgers plan to move Mookie Betts to the infield, they might want to trade Lux, who doesn’t have versatility.
Although Miguel Rojas only played 103 games, he was the captain of the Dodger infield. He still sparkled defensively at shortstop but played with a sports hernia, which was repaired after the World Series. He had a great batting average of .283 with 6 home runs and 36 RBI, but Rojas missed most of the postseason because of his injuries. Rojas will be a Dodger in 2025 but won’t be a full-time player.
Before breaking his wrist, Mookie Betts was the Dodger shortstop, the most challenging job he had in baseball. When Lux couldn’t play shortstop, the Dodgers moved Betts to shortstop. He will be in the infield in the 2025 season.
In 240 at-bats as a shortstop, Betts had a .308 batting average with 9 home runs and 37 RBI. As a second baseman, Betts had 48 at-bats, a 250 batting average with a home run and 3 RBI. As an infielder, Betts should win the National League MVP.
Max Muncy missed three months with a mysterious oblique muscle strain. He drastically improved his defense at third base. In 73 games, he had a .232 batting average with 15 home runs and 48 RBI. At 34, Muncy should be a reserve infielder, but with his incredible power, the Dodgers need Muncy in the lineup.
While the Dodgers won a world championship, they have a lot of questions in their infield. There are rumors swirling around the Dodgers about acquiring an infielder. These rumors are mostly false.
