The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered a bit of a scare in Wednesday’s matchup against the San Diego Padres when Gavin Lux crashed into the center field wall at full speed while attempting to make a running catch.
The 23-year-old eventually rose to his feet and walked slowly off the field, but was replaced by Cody Bellinger, who wound up hitting a game-tying home run in the eighth inning.
Lux sustained a neck stinger on the play and was held out of Thursday’s series finale but already has improved. “Overall, a lot better than I was expecting,” he said.
“My neck is a little stiff, but overall a lot better than I thought. It was scary, but get some anti-inflammatories and then we’ll roll.”
Prior to first pitch on Thursday, the Dodgers made light of Lux’s crash by taping an outline of his body on the fence. “That would be (video coordinator) Chad Chop and that would be (clubhouse attendant) Chico’s body outline,” he explained.
“He’s a littler thicker and shorter than me. I think it’s hilarious. [Chop] was like, ‘Can I do that?’ I’m like, ‘I don’t care. It’s a good way to make a joke about it.’ Now looking back at it, we can joke about it. It’s funny.”
Bellinger, Mookie Betts and AJ Pollock each ran out to the spot and tapped the wall before taking their positions in the first inning.
Although Lux dropped the ball on the play where he injured himself, he already has made several impressive catchers in his limited time as a center fielder, including last week’s running grab at Chase Field.
“That was the first one where I really had to run in the gap like that, close to the wall. The gap there’s a little deeper. Here, it kind of cuts off maybe 20 or 15 feet shorter,” Lux answered when asked if he potentially misjudged the dimensions at Dodger Stadium.
“Honestly, I didn’t feel the track at all. Just running full speed trying to make a play. Now I know to kind of peek over my shoulder, see spatially where I’m at. It’s a learning lesson. A tough learning lesson.”
Lux’s availability
Although Lux did not appear in Thursday’s contest against the Padres, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed that he was available to potentially pinch-hit or pinch-run.
“Sore but in a lot better spot than we expected,” Roberts said when providing an update on Lux’s neck. “As far as availability, I would say to run or potentially take an at-bat late.”
Lux won’t be in the Dodgers’ lineup for the series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers as they start lefty Eric Lauer.
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