"I don't know why Mookie Betts would want to do that" - Manny Machado questions Dodgers star's risky move to shortstop

Manny Machado, someone who's played shortstop at times during his career, is surprised that Dodgers' Mookie Betts wants to take on the position. He played it a little bit last season thanks to some injuries in the infield and he's expected to be the full-time shortstop this year.

Machado has played third base primarily and has won two Gold Gloves there, but he has 1993.1 innings at shortstop. It is one of the most challenging defensive positions on the diamond, and Machado isn't sure why Betts wants the enhanced challenge at a new position.

Via USA Today, the San Diego Padres star said on Monday:

“I don’t know why he’d want to do that. I don’t know, man, it’s crazy what he’s trying to do. He’s a Gold Glover. He’s such a good outfielder. Why go play such a demanding position? It takes so much of a toll on your body."

The Los Angeles Dodgers star knows it's a hard position. He played it until he joined MLB with the Boston Red Sox. Then, he wasn't a right fielder and was thrust into a new position and he eventually excelled there. He's aiming to do the same this year as well.

Mookie Betts thinks he can learn shortstop like he learned right field

When he first came up, Mookie Betts was a shortstop. Rising in the Boston Red Sox organization, he was an infielder. They wanted to move him to the outfield, and the 18-year-old player didn't have much of a say.

Mookie Betts is moving to shortstop full-time (Imagn)

He revealed that he thinks he would've been a good shortstop, but he didn't get the chance to try. He also said it was a huge learning curve to move to the outfield, so he's not surprised by the challenges of learning MLB shortstop.

Betts said via USA Today:

“I think I would have been really good, but I never had the opportunity. I couldn’t throw then either. Nobody told me how to throw then. And for myself, I didn’t think I could do it either."

The slugger also said that he believed in himself when transitioning to right field, and that worked out to the tune of six Gold Gloves. Now, he believes in himself transitioning to shortstop, and time will tell if it works out to the same degree.