Instead of being over two months into the 2020 regular season, Major League Baseball remains in a holding pattern due to concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Despite that, there is optimism a campaign for this year could soon be approved. MLB team owners agreed to a proposal last week, and they are now in active discussions with the Players Association to finalize an official plan that would allow play to resume later this summer.
While the hope is that Opening Day could take place in early July, a Spring Training 2.0 of multiple weeks will be necessary for players to get back to game speed.
Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Gavin Lux believes he will need roughly 15-20 at-bats to be ready to go for the regular season, via Jorge Castillo of the L.A. Times:
“At this point, give me 15-20 at-bats and I’ll be ready to go,” Lux said.
Like many players, Lux is antsy to get back on the field. So much so that he came down on his previous estimate of needing a minimum of 30 at-bats before the regular season.
“For me, it takes 30 to 40 at-bats to feel like I’m finally getting locked in,” Lux told DodgerBlue.com in March. “I feel like I’ve been on the barrel a lot recently and I think I’ll start hitting for power pretty soon with more at-bats and more comfortable I get in the box. I feel good right now.”
Lux also revealed he would need regular at-bats due to the complexity of his swing. “One hundred percent,” he said of getting everyday plate appearances.
“I think I have a more complicated swing and gather, so I need the at-bats to feel like I’m getting locked in. So for me it might take 20 more at-bats, where maybe J.T. it takes him 15 or 20 to feel locked in; me, it might take 40. To each their own. For me that’s how it’s always been in the spring.”
Other Dodgers players have projected how many reps they will need in Spring Training before deeming themselves ready for the regular season. Walker Buehler believes a full month of action is required for players to get locked in before meaningful baseball begins.
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