The Los Angeles Dodgers are making key changes with their season on the line. Mookie Betts will bat fourth against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6 of the World Series, per ESPN's Buster Olney. Miguel Rojas will man second base, and Tommy Edman will play center field in place of Andy Pages.
Manager Dave Roberts cannot afford to press the wrong buttons in a must-win matchup in raucous Rogers Centre. All three of these decisions could be impactful, but how Betts performs will be especially important. LA needs the star shortstop to awaken from his October slumber, otherwise, it will be hard-pressed to keep up with the Blue Jays' balanced lineup.
Betts is slashing .234/.319/.328 for a .648 OPS in the playoffs and is just 3-for-23 during the 2025 World Series. The Dodgers are slacking in the batter's box as a collective, but a former MVP, three-time champion, and seven-time Silver Slugger who has a bust waiting for him in Cooperstown is expected to produce on the big stage. He was an important part of LA's 2024 title run and will be entrusted to step up on Friday night.
Following a lackluster first half to the 2025 campaign, Betts rebounded in the final two months of the season and ended up with a 104 OPS+ (100 is league average). He has the ability to catch fire without warning, not just because he is a baseball player, but because he is one of the best baseball players of his generation. Moving the 33-year-old out of the No. 2 slot and into the cleanup role could give him the jolt he requires.
The Dodgers understand the situation. They cannot worry about routine or personal preferences. These lineup tweaks could help them earn one last date with the Blue Jays on Saturday night. Story-book endings have been known to find their way into the Fall Classic, and thriving amid the worst campaign of his Hall of Fame career is the exact ending that Betts will try to write in Toronto.
