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Batting eighth, Gavin Lux - SS
There is a certain amount of hopeful optimism with slotting Gavin Lux at shortstop here. The Dodgers were planning on putting him there before he went down with torn ligaments in his knee prior to the season, but we still don't know if the position will be a fit for him long-term. However, there are no free agent shortstops worth having for this exercise, and Lux could turn into a star if the stars align.
It wasn't that long ago that Lux was one of the top prospects in all of baseball. His first few appearances in the big leagues were decidedly mediocre, but it really looked like he was starting to find himself in 2022 when he hit .276 and saw improvement across the board. There is a chance this move doesn't work out, but Lux is a worthy gamble at the eight spot.
Batting ninth, Michael Busch - 2B
Finally, we come to the bottom of the lineup with only second base left on the board. Whit Merrifield is a potential option, but he is 34 and very clearly declining. Tim Anderson probably needs to move to second base and isn't that far removed from a batting title, but he was one of the worst players in baseball last year and seems more likely to piss off half of the Dodgers' clubhouse almost immediately than to turn back into that guy again.
Instead, we again turn to an internal option in Michael Busch. Busch did make a cameo appearance in the big leagues with LA in 2023 that did not go well, but this guy can flat out hit. He has three straight seasons where he has hit 20 or more homers in the minor leagues -- including this season, where he posted a 1.049 OPS in Triple-A. Having Busch directly ahead of Betts most innings should lead to plenty of run scoring opportunities, even if his defensive shortcomings limit his upside a bit.