Gavin Lux is likely to miss the entire 2023 season as he recovers from surgery for a torn LCL and ACL in his right knee, but that hasn’t prevented him from making notable progress of late.
Late last month he began playing catch on a regular basis with light throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers training staff member. Now, 25-year-old is running on a treadmill that alters his weight to ease the impact on Lux’s surgically-repaired knee.
Running this week for the first time since undergoing surgery in March was a benchmark Lux hoped to reach. He’s continued with the rehab process at Dodger Stadium but may eventually join other players at Camelback Ranch.
Gavin Lux posted this video of himself running, which he's doing this week for the first time since having LCL/ACL surgery.https://t.co/I55ngfylHo pic.twitter.com/9oKl9Uzzbk
— Matthew Moreno (@Matthew__Moreno) June 20, 2023
“It’s going good. It’s a slower process still, but I’m able to do more exercises now where you’re hinging and doing hip strengthening stuff, half squats, biking, elliptical,” Lux recently told DodgerBlue.com in an exclusive interview.
“So I’m starting to do some more exercises, which is good. Before, I felt like I was just sitting on the training room table for three hours, trying to get range of motion back. So in that sense it’s definitely going good and making it a little more interesting I guess.”
While getting cleared to run is a noteworthy development for Lux, he previously felt a sense of relief once off crutches as it allowed him to sit in the dugout during games.
“Before, when I was just coming to the stadium for two hours and leaving, it just felt weird,” Lux recalled. “But being around your guys and having that clubhouse interaction every day kind of keeps me sane. Being around helps a ton.
“The hardest part is just mentally. Physically, I get three hours a day where I get to bust my ass and try to strengthen everything around it and get myself where I want to be. But the hardest part is all the free time after that.
“You’re so used to being at the field, taking ground balls, hitting, trying to get ready for a game. It’s just a lot of free time, so mentally it’s a little bit more of a grind than physically.”
What is next for Gavin Lux?
As Lux continues to navigate the rehab process, he is hopeful to begin hitting off a tee in late July or early August.
“If I can get through that, training wheels will be off a little bit and I can do weight room stuff,” Lux explained. “I’ve just got to get to that point.”
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