Dave Roberts' comments hint Miguel Rojas is fueling a Mookie Betts position shift

The Dodgers' uncanny streak of winning when Miguel Rojas gets a hit sadly came to an end this weekend during the first game of LA's series against the Giants. He entered the game as their starting shortstop, hit a single in the fifth, and scored the Dodgers' first run of the evening thanks to an RBI double from Gavin Lux. It was a close contest, but the Giants eventually won it with a walk-off two-run homer, ending the Rojas Win Streak at 24 games.

But it's still indicative of a huge surge this season for Rojas, who may be fighting for a permanent role at shortstop this season given Mookie Betts' defensive struggles and continued absence with a fractured hand. Rojas had another great day at the plate on Saturday, going 3-for-5 with four RBI in the Dodgers' 14-7 rout of the Giants.

The LA Times' Mike DiGiovanna asked Dave Roberts if Rojas staying at shortstop and Betts moving to second upon his return from injury was a possibility, to which Roberts replied that it was. He said, quite plainly, "I don't think anyone can debate the level of shortstop play from Miguel Rojas."

Dodgers would consider moving Miguel Rojas to shortstop permanently even when Mookie Betts returns from injury

Dodgers fans and writers have known for a while now that Betts at shortstop was not the long-term solution the team hoped it could be, and no one could say that revelation was much of a surprise. If you take a Gold Glove right fielder and stick him at an infield position he's barely ever played at the major league level, what should you expect other than -4 OAA, 10th percentile defense?

LA had Rojas on the bench, and he was an ideal replacement defensively, but far from ideal offensively. He batted .236 with a .612 OPS last season as an everyday player, and the Dodgers usually stuck him last in the batting order accordingly.

This year, though, he's having his best offensive year since 2020. He's batting .297 with a .790 OPS and, of course, there was the winning streak. Now that he'll be at shortstop nearly everyday until Betts eyes a return and the Dodgers have to reevaluate. Rojas has dominated thus far. He's also on the hot seat daily. He's only played in 53 games this year, and the team will need to see continued consistency at the plate if they're going to make the switch.

It hasn't been confirmed that they're looking for a shortstop replacement, but fans and writers eager to see anyone but Betts there have floated both Paul DeJong and Bo Bichette, the latter of whom could take a lot for the Dodgers to secure, as potential trade targets. But if Rojas can keep up what he's been doing, it could take a huge weight off of the Dodgers' shoulders at the trade deadline, and he would be making a very good argument for LA to exercise their club option on him for 2025.