Gavin Lux underwent right knee surgery to repair a torn ACL and sprained LCL. The procedure was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Tuesday, which was the first off day for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their 2023 Spring Training.
Lux returned to Los Angeles to have the operation. He’s expected to miss the entire 2023 regular season, which the 25-year-old described as a crushing reality.
“You put in a lot of time and work, and really enjoy the guys in the clubhouse. The hardest part is not being able to be on the field,” Lux said when discussing his knee injury.
He suffered the torn ACL while running the bases during a February 27 game against the San Diego Padres. “I tried to duck out of the way of the throw, and I think my cleat kind of got stuck into the ground a little bit,” Lux explained.
“It straightened out a little funky and bowed out, and kind of rolled up on my ankle too. Freak thing. I don’t even think it’s really avoidable. In hindsight, I probably should’ve just took the throw to the nose and worn it. [Expletive] happens. I’ll just crush the rehab and move on.”
Lux went 2-for-6 with one run scored over two games before his Spring Training came to a grinding halt. More importantly for the Dodgers, he was showing comfort defensively in moving back to shortstop.
What Gavin Lux’s injury means for Dodgers roster
The first change Lux’s knee injury brought about for the Dodgers is relying on Miguel Rojas as the starting shortstop. The veteran had previously been on track to fill a utility role.
Beyond that, Dodgers roster depth is now of some concern for president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. He acknowledged the team is looking to add a player, likely through trade, but that wasn’t considered likely to occur during Spring Training.
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