Betts won't play 2B in Game 3… at least to start

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Mookie Betts is a two-time reigning Gold Glove winner in the outfield, and on Thursday he was once again recognized as one of the three best defensive right fielders in the American League... but could he shift to the infield when the Red Sox and Dodgers take the field for Game 3 of the World Series?

Just two days ago, Alex Cora dubbed the chances of Betts playing second base "very slim," and while he confirmed that Betts wouldn't start in the infield Friday, the Sox manager hedged his bets when it came to ruling Betts out from second base duty altogether.

"Mookie Betts at second? No, he's not playing second base," Cora stated Thursday afternoon before allowing for potential defensive changes later in the game. "Well, he's not starting at second base."

For his part, Betts has said that he would be ready to play second base if called upon, even though he has only played six innings of emergency duty in the infield over the last four seasons.

Some of the uncertainty around Game 3's lineup and defensive positioning could have to deal with the status of J.D. Martinez, who rolled his right ankle while rounding second base in Boston's Game 1 victory.

With no DH available in Dodger Stadium, Martinez said he planned on playing the outfield when asked after Game 2, but Cora wasn't ready to announce where or even if Martinez would play on Friday night. 

"Actually he felt better today walking around, he got treatment on the way here," Cora said. He's going to get treatment tomorrow. He'll get treatment tomorrow morning. In the afternoon we'll make a decision. It looked bad early in the game but then it seemed like it was moving better towards the end. We'll make a decision whenever -- he'll let us know."

Martinez owns one of the hottest bats in the Sox lineup, as he's batting .444 during a five-game hit streak with at least one RBI in all five games.

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