The Los Angeles Dodgers rocked the Miami Marlins in an 8-2 win on Tuesday, making the most of their big swings by way of the long ball.
Alongside Max Muncy’s grand slam, infielder Gavin Lux powered his own two-run shot in the bottom of the third inning. With a runner on third, Lux hammered a slider at the knee into the right-field bullpen.
The home run was his first of the season, and his first long ball since Aug. 15, 2022.
Missing last year entirely, Lux hasn’t quite found his swing to this point. But homering off Marlins’ right-hander George Soriano was a glimpse into what he’s got in the tank, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com:
“It felt good,” Lux said. “It was a long recovery road the last year, and then you get off to a slow start. Nobody wants to do that. It felt really good overall, and it’s kinda funny that in that situation, I’m just trying to hit a fly ball to center field, and you just get a pitch you can handle and you do that. Sometimes, less is more.”
Lux is batting .191/.258/.247 on the season with one home run, seven RBI, 14 runs scored and eight walks.
His spot at the bottom of the lineup is important, and his athletic ability is what can be most impactful to a potent Dodgers lineup:
“I think one through nine, no matter who is playing, we’re going to give you a good at-bat,” Lux said. “We’re not going to give at-bats away, and if you’re not throwing strikes, we’re not going to chase.”
Lux doesn’t need to be spectacular, or as highly regarded as he was when first breaking through in the Dodgers’ farm system. But the upside is still there, and like many players returning from a major knee injury, time is required.
He’s been on the bad-end of some troubling strike calls, but Lux’s advanced metrics haven’t been favorable to him even when making contact. The plus side remains, though, that his chase rate is among the best in baseball, and can be a great tool for the Dodgers’ offense.
How can Gavin Lux impact the Dodgers lineup
Being a pesky hitter, for starters. His speed and base running can impact a game on multiple ends, but also requiring the on-base knack, which hasn’t been his strong suit until recently.
Since May 1, Lux owns a 147 wRC+ with a .357 on-base percentage.
During the 2022 season, when Lux was showing signs of a breakout, he was a key piece at the bottom of the lineup from the bottom two slots. He’ll need to continue that trend and flip the lineup over, with him on base.
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