Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson reacted to Mookie Betts' move to shortstop, saying that the Dodgers star will likely make the All-Stars in his stead.
Having signed with the Cubs as their long-term shortstop only last year, it's clear that Swanson holds Betts in high regard.
Having been moved to shortstop during spring training, the LA slugger has impressed in his defensive work. His Cubs counterpart believes that his place in the All-Star team is already under threat:
"Mookie's gonna take a fricken All-Star thing. Nobody vote for him this year, okay?"
Dansby Swanson was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2015 MLB Draft and traded to the Atlanta Braves after a few months, going on to major league with them the following season.
Since then, he has established himself as an elite shortstop, winning the World Series with the Diamondbacks in 2021. In the last two seasons, he has made two All-Star appearances and won two Golden Glove awards.
Mookie Betts returns to shortstop for the Dodgers in the upcoming season, with first-choice Gavin Lux failing to live up to expectations after his return from injury.
While he's mostly known for his hitting abilities, Betts is a top player in defense and showed his versatility playing as a shortstop against the Texas Rangers on Saturday.
Swanson made the All-Star team as the shortstop in the last two years but faces stiff competition from Betts.
Dansby Swanson and Mookie Betts discuss Shohei Ohtani ahead of new season
Dansby Swanson, on the On Base with Mookie Betts, discussed Shohei Ohtani's move to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Both players are in awe of the Japanese two-way star's prowess and agree that the MLB will not see another player sign a $700 million contract anytime soon.
Betts mentioned that while Ohtani is very disciplined in training, he doesn't do anything different from others, he just does the same things better. That left only one conclusion for Betts:
"He's just better than everyone else."