After becoming one of the best prospects — and most coveted midseason trade chips — in baseball, Gavin Lux was the subject of speculation that he would make his MLB debut and potentially earn a spot on the Los Angeles Dodgers’ postseason roster this year.
Lux lived up to the early hype, as he recorded two hits and scored three runs in his first game with the Dodgers. He was penciled into second base, which figures to be his long-term position thanks to Corey Seager’s presence at shortstop.
However, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has an abundance of options there, especially once Max Muncy returns from the 10-day injured list on Friday.
Kiké Hernandez initially won the second base job out of Spring Training, but struggled mightily in the first half. He has improved since coming off the IL in late August, and fellow utility man Chris Taylor has also turned in another solid season.
Muncy, meanwhile, made his first All-Star Game this season while primarily playing second base. Despite the veterans seemingly ahead of him, Lux’s potential and talent prompted Roberts to admit the possibility that he could make the playoff roster, but reaffirmed that it would be a tough task.
“Yeah, there’s a scenario. I think with us, with anybody, you’re trying to find the best 12 or 13 position players to kind of formulate your roster. To say that’s not possible, that’s not the case,” Roberts said.
“He’s going to have to play well. That goes with anyone. As you get down to the end of the season you want guys that are playing well. Experience certainly matters but so does performance. Right now for Gavin, it’s not about the postseason for him. It’s more of just going out there and playing baseball. And let’s see where that takes us.”
The Dodgers will give Lux plenty of opportunities to adjust to Major League pitching and make his case to be one of the select few on the playoff roster, according to the plan Roberts laid out for him.
While the left-handed Lux will play most games against right-handers for the rest of the season, he will likely sit against lefty pitching in favor of the right-handed Taylor and Hernandez.
“Obviously we have a lot of really good players that continue to need to take at-bats, but I see him playing essentially every day against right-handed pitching. But obviously with what Kiké and C.T. have done, their versatility, they’ll certainly be in the mix as well,” Roberts said.
“It’s not that he can’t hit lefties — he’s done it his entire career — but there’s a balance with using your entire roster, too.”
With Justin Turner limited by a sore left ankle, he was scratched from the lineup on Tuesday and it led to Lux making his first start against a left-hander. He later connected for his first career home run, which came off a southpaw relief pitcher.
