The Los Angeles Dodgers have been the most aggressive team in baseball upgrading their roster this offseason after another postseason appearance that saw them get eliminated in the National League Division Series.
The starting rotation, corner outfield and designated hitter were their biggest needs, which were addressed by acquiring Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernandez, Jason Heyward and Manuel Margot. The club also has a reported agreement in place with James Paxton.
But throughout the offseason, the Dodgers were also connected to shortstops who may have been available, including Willy Adames of the Milwaukee Brewers and Bo Bichette of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Gavin Lux is expected to be the Dodgers starting shortstop in 2024, and he has received praise from both Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes. Amid the rumors, Lux blocked out all the speculation and thanked the Dodgers front office for their support, he said on SportsNet LA:
“I mean, I never really read into it too much, just on all the speculation stuff. I think going through the Minor Leagues and being in a ton of trade deadline rumors and all that, you just kind of get used to stuff getting thrown around. But obviously, Gomie to say that and Andrew, just to have that, you know the front office still believes in you and nothing changes. I think that means a lot and kind of boosts your confidence obviously. But yeah, those guys have been nothing but extremely supportive the entire way this whole process that kind of sucked. Definitely thankful for all those guys. It’s tough, so not everyone’s like that.”
Lux was slated to be the Dodgers’ shortstop in 2023, but he suffered a torn ACL and LCL in his right knee during Spring Training which caused him to miss the entire season.
Following a full season of rehab, Lux is working out at Dodger Stadium as he looks to establish himself as a key member of the team.
Thankfully for the Dodgers, they can afford to be patient with the 26-year-old due to their deep lineup and the presence of Miguel Rojas on the roster, who took over for Lux last season after the injury.
Lux received his first significant opportunity during the 2022 season when he appeared in 129 games and batted a solid .276/.346/.399 with 33 extra-base hits while appearing at three different positions.
Dodgers metrics grade Gavin Lux as ‘fine’ defensively
Although Lux is a natural shortstop, concerns about his defensive ability at the position remain, partly due to the throwing issues he’s dealt with throughout his Minor League career and into his Major League career.
However, the Dodgers view Lux as a fine defensive shortstop based on the run he received there in 2021 when filling in for the injured Corey Seager.
The Dodgers’ internal reports are different from the defensive metrics that are publicly available as Lux was one of baseball’s lowest-graded defenders at shortstop in 2021.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
