“I don’t want to speak on anybody else,” Betts mentioned after the Dodgers’ Game 5 loss. “But for myself, I’ve just been terrible.” Following another silent night, where Betts went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, Dave Roberts decided to shake things up. 

The Dodgers lost Game 5 at 6-1 to the Blue Jays, falling behind 3-2 in the series. Now, as they are entering a do-or-die matchup, the skipper has decided to move Betts down in the lineup again in the hope of firing some offense. 

At Game 5, Will Smith moved up to the two-hole in front of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. Alex Call drew the start in left field, and Roberts shifted Kiké Hernández to center and bumped Andy Pages from the lineup for the first time this postseason.

Now, talking about the Game 6 lineup change, Buster Olney posted on X, “Mookie Betts hitting cleanup for the Dodgers today. Miguel Rojas at 2B, Tommy Edman in CF.” The Dodgers acknowledged the changes shortly after, disclosing that Miguel Rojas will be in the starting lineup for the first time in the series. Meanwhile, Tommy Edman moves to center field, and both Andy Pages and Alex Call will begin on the bench.

The last time Betts batted cleanup was Sept. 29, 2017. The Dodgers’ shortstop is hitting just 3-for-23 (.130) with no extra-base hits through the first five games of the World Series. Even Betts acknowledged his “terrible” season.

Rojas at 2B might be the skipper’s last card. His flexibility all over the diamond makes sense for the decision. Plus, he has had one of his best hitting seasons this year (the other one being last year): A .262 BA with a .719 OPS. LA is counting on his smooth fielding, too. Much like the one he played back on September 27 against the Mariners, taking a hit away from Julio Rodríguez behind second base.

Meanwhile, Edman starts in center field for the first time since Sept. 24. The Dodgers lost a lot of lineup flexibility when a nagging right ankle that landed Edman on the injured list twice this year limited the star to playing second base for most of the postseason.

In Game 3’s 18-inning marathon, Edman played the final five innings in center field out of necessity. He came out of that nicely, so the star was definitely an option in center once more, although the Dodgers showed some reluctance to start him there, specifically, while playing on turf at Rogers Center.

But there are reasons to bench Call and Pages.

In Game 5, Alex Call went hitless with three strikeouts. And Pages slashed .272/.313/.461 during the regular season and then batted just .067 in the World Series so far.

But why move Mookie Betts to cleanup at this point? The manager’s approach looks driven by desperation to win Game 6 and remove the pressure of elimination.

Mookie Betts was a reliable leadoff star for the Dodgers; however, now he has been unrecognizable, specifically, in October. The star is hitting only .234 with zero home runs. However, the manager is hopeful that batting lower in the order could support Betts to reset, given the poor batting performance he’s going through. This is his lowest position in the lineup in over 4 years.

Still, such a move reveals a deeper issue with the team’s offense.

No star with a minimum of 12 postseason at-bats is delivering above Hernández’s .286. And Andy Pages’ iconic slump, a .080 BA, has just intensified the situation. Amid this, Dave Roberts is trusting veterans like Rojas, while also keeping his faith in Mookie Betts.

Fans are sure that Game 6 will be more than a season-defining game. It could define how the Dodgers will be remembered.

Fans react to Dodgers lineup shuffle amid elimination pressure

Many fans have totally lost faith in Dave Roberts’ leadership. One enraged fan stated, “The Dodgers need a manager… Dave Roberts is useless… They can do a lot better playing without one… than being managed by Roberts.” Such a reaction shows the increasing tension after the manager’s repeated postseason lineup experiments, which have not paid off. After losing Game 4, the manager changed the lineup for Game 5. Some of the most notable changes are Will Smith, who was placed at Mookie Betts’ No. 2 spot, and brought only a ninth-inning single. Also, Mookie Betts, who was occupying the No. 3 spot, performed like a newbie. He went 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts. In fact, Shohei Ohtani failed to make any impact and went 0 for 4 in the leadoff position. 

While many others questioned the defensive adjustments, they highlight that the latest errors have proved costly. One fan remarked, “Edman has made many mistakes in the infield last WS and this one.” In game 1 of the 2024 World Series, Edman allowed the Yankees to put two runners to reach base because of a misplay at shortstop in the 1st inning. So, the decision to position Tommy Edman to center field for Game 6 has raised eyebrows. 

Another did not hold back regarding the choice to keep Betts still high in the batting order. “Roberts is an actual retard. Mookie shouldn’t be anywhere near the top 5 in the order.” He went 0-for-4 in 6-1 Game 5 to the Jays. It perfectly captured the rising annoyance with Roberts’ loyalty to declining stars.

Meanwhile, some simply pointed out that these changes will only make things easier for the Jays. One fan joked, “Toronto got a lot of cleanup to do later tonight after them celebrations.” It is a sign that fans are now recognizing the potential of a Jays clincher; they would become the first team since the 2022 Astros to win the World Series at home.

Still, pockets of optimism remain among Dodgers fans. One fan encouraged the team with a message of belief. “Mookie will show up tonight & drive in runs!! Let’s go Dodgers 💙🤍.” Everything aside, Mookie Betts has proven himself multiple times in the past. For instance, in May 2024, he had his third career five-hit game. He was selected for his eighth consecutive All-Star Game, and a breakout performance could not only save the Dodgers’ season but rewrite his October story.

As the Dodgers are facing elimination, every decision made by Dave Roberts now feels intense. The fans are divided between doubt and belief, faith and frustration.