The Dodgers are in a tight postseason chase, and Mookie Betts is still occupying shortstop after moving from his longtime right-field spot, with Teoscar Hernández taking over Betts’s old position. Manager Dave Roberts admitted the team isn’t fielding its best defensive lineup every night, stressing that offense remains a priority in a crowded race. Hernández has been a catalyst at the plate, ranking second on the club with 20 homers and 75 RBIs, even as his defense can swing momentum the other way at times.

In Tuesday’s 11-4 rout of Colorado, the lineup rode a barrage of multi-hit days, including Alex Call’s career-best four hits. Freeman, Will Smith, Betts, Rojas, and Call all contributed, with two-out scoring helping the Dodgers plate eight of their 11 runs. Ohtani added his 44th homer and extended a 17-game on-base streak, while Call’s power blast highlighted a day where the Dodgers outhit the Rockies 18-11. Betts, hitting .243 after going 2-for-6, has drawn attention to the trade-off between Betts at short and Hernandez in the outfield as the club weighs its postseason chances. Roberts declined to move Betts back to right field just yet, signaling the Dodgers aren’t ready to overhaul a lineup that clearly still scores well when required.

Betts’s fielding percentage at short appears strong enough to surface as a concern only in a broader context of fatigue, as he’s near the NL shortstop leaderboard’s top tier despite limited appearances. The manager’s candid stance—“not there quite yet”—underscores the balancing act: maximize runs while maintaining enough defense to close out tight games. The Dodgers’ rhythm on Tuesday suggested a team that can adapt on the fly in pursuit of October baseball, even if the defensive alignment isn’t fixed for every night.