MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Shortly before the season, president of baseball operations for the Dodgers, Andrew Friedman, opted to trade veteran outfielder AJ Pollock, a solid hitter and former Gold Glove Award winner to the Chicago White Sox for All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel.
Many Dodgers fans raised their eyebrows at the deal with some not being able to fathom trading a reliable bat and a well-respected clubhouse presence for an All-Star closer who struggled the second half of the season.
While Friedman was wisely filling a need in the back end of the bullpen after the departure of longtime closer Kenley Jansen, he was also creating an opportunity for former minor league standout Gavin Lux.
Lux is heading into his fourth season with the Dodgers, and his brief time in the majors with the Blue Crew has been shaky to say the least. He’s had issues at the plate with his lackluster hitting, poor base running, awful fielding at various positions including the outfield, and even a questionable work ethic. Not to mention he’s heard his name in numerous trade rumors in recent years.
(Courtesy of Los Angeles Dodgers)
Lux came in with extremely high expectations. After other highly-touted prospects like Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Will Smith in recent years hit the ground running after being called up; many expected Lux to follow those impressive acts especially after an incredible.392 batting average and a scalding 1.197 OPS in Triple-A.
Lux struggled to adjust to major league pitching and it showed right away. That lack of consistency at the plate and in the field followed him the next few seasons in which he was reduced to a part-time role, altering positions, and even shuffling back and forth between LA and Oklahoma City.
It’s been a roller coaster of a career for Lux, but he’s still a Dodger and last season showed flashes of his potential and an ability to hit in the clutch, even in the MLB playoffs where he hit .333 in the NLDS against the San Francisco Giants.
The Dodgers are hoping he can build on that growth and maturity he displayed last season, and even though his defense still is below average, Lux has at least shown some versatility playing second base, shortstop, and outfield. Not to mention, with the universal DH, manager Dave Roberts could always keep his bat in the lineup and provide a spark at the bottom of the order.
Even with this vaunted lineup that recently added former MVP Freddie Freeman to go along with Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, Justin Turner, Max Muncy, and Will Smith, Lux will be a major X-factor offensively and so far he’s shown that.
As the offense has been a little slow out of the gate, it’s been Lux who’s been the most consistent going 5 for 12 (.417 average) with five RBIs and two walks through these first four games.
It’s certainly a promising start for a promising young player who could be primed for a breakout season and finally rewarding the Dodgers for sticking with him. They have treated him like a luxury the last three years, but now he could be a necessary piece to help them reach their ultimate goal of a World Series championship.
