Dodgers: LA Insider Predicts Gavin Lux Gets Traded Before Opening Day
This winter is a pivotal offseason for the Dodgers. At least one franchise mainstay is gone. Two longtime Dodgers veterans remain un-signed due to the lockout. Could former top prospect Gavin Lux also become a thing of the past in Los Angeles this winter?
Fabian Ardaya, the Dodgers beat reporter for The Athletic, believes Lux is the most likely Dodger to be traded before Opening Day. Ardaya’s position on Lux lies in the fact that the 24-year-old is missing just that: a position.
“The question is not about Gavin Lux’s talent, but more so about fit. The departure of Corey Seager appeared to open up second base for Lux once again, and maybe it still has. But the Dodgers re-signing Chris Taylor complicates things. While Taylor won’t necessarily be the everyday second baseman…he still will get a majority of those at-bats that otherwise would go to Lux.”
As Ardaya mentions in the article, the Dodgers did experiment with Lux in the outfield and third base in 2021. The Wisconsin native did show flashes of brilliance in centerfield but needs plenty of polish.
In the batter’s box, Lux posted a .692 OPS in 2021 in 381 plate appearances. He has the potential to be another impact bat. Maybe even an All-Star. It just hasn’t quite happened yet.
Ardaya finishes by proposing that trading Lux may end up providing the most return on investment for Los Angeles.
“The Dodgers could look to continue expanding Lux’s defensive profile or possibly see what value there is for the former top prospect to try to address other parts of the roster.”
Once the lockout ends, the Dodgers might key-in on trading their former number one prospect.
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I don’t think so.
I guess he shouldn’t have dropped the ball while playing in a position he wasn’t familiar with in the NLCS that essentially cost the team the post season. Next time he should be prepared to also pitch, slacker.
I give him a lot of credit for doing whatever the team asked him to do.
If the Dodgers don’t believe him to be a top prospect why would another team trade them one for him? Another day another 3 insider opinions. Speed, defense, and had some good at bats towards the end. This is definitely not the time to move him. If there is a season there will be injuries. There is no other SS in the works for 22 other than TT. By 23 if you lose TT you have a chance for an internal replacement. The immediately need this year is starting pitching, relief pitching, lh batting in that order. Freeman is a long shot, Bryant could happen, but it would be great to give Lux (young and affordable) another look at multiple positions. I’m new to this team but I think 50+ game trying to run down the Giants really hurt this team. The normal breaks manager’s give players such as an occasional day game after night game off just didn’t happen. I think Lux has shown enough to be in the mix. The best play came from the bench and recently injured. It was injury driven, but it was basically a 2 month playoff run on the players that weren’t injured.
Dave Roberts has continually set Lux up to fail. He knew he would be a fish out of water in center field by just watching him in practice. Or, was there never a practice.
Lux is a good second baseman and an even better shortstop. T. Turner will be a short next year and second will now be open for Lux. Then, after Turner leaves, Lux will be the man you want at short.
I know he’s had his offensive shortcomings, but he’s still young and needs some work. I’m not sure the team has the patience to work with him and if that’s the case, I hope they do trade him.
Anyone who didn’t see a spark of greatness in Lux at some time over last season just wasn’t looking.
I totally agree.
LA would have to be crazy to trade Lux. There is no long-term certainty at shortstop. Trae Turner may not get extended, in which case there would be no one except CT3. LA is not going to sign Correa. Lux can only get better.
It seems to me that saying someone is the “most likely to be traded” is a little different than “predicting he gets traded.”
He is not likely to be traded. On the contrary, he holds great value for the Dodgers. He shouldn’t have been asked to play the outfield without given any prior time at the position in the minors. He is a future star at either shortstop or second base. It would be foolish to trade him, just like it is foolish to write an article saying that he is likely to be traded. This article shows the authors ignorance regarding baseball.
Keep Lux. Period. We’re going to be glad we have him at some point this season.
I predict that Lux is on the Dodgers’ roster on opening day and for some time to come! Chris Taylor can play practically ANYWHERE, so he is not a threat to take the 2nd base position away from Lux, any more so than Muncey may do, IF he is healthy and IF the Dodgers are able to land a top notch 1st baseman, like Freddie Freeman, which is a stretch, in my humble opinion. We shall see. Let the chips fall where they may, when and if we’re able to even have a 2022 MLB Season!!
Being a reporter does not make you an insider.
I say keep him for at least one more year.
Lux is not in flux.
I already mentioned in the past that Lux needs to be retained because it’s very possible Trea Turner leaves after 2022 via FA. And thus, Dodgers would be without BOTH Seager and Trea in 2033. But first, we may not have a 2022 season to begin with. It’s hard to understand why still no talks for a new CBA are even scheduled yet.
Lux has been one of the many victimized by the Drrrrrrrrr factor. The Dodgers need Lux now more than ever. Maybe even Drrrrrrr now after seeing yet another head scratching moment pass by where he played a player out of position that cost the team the post season, may just NOT do that one again…
I agree – we need Gavin and see if his improvement from late last year continues into this season
The prediction is, “traded before opening day”… Any idea when opening day will be???
This seems like lockout noise. Cheap and high upside is not something the dodgers are going to trade unless they get a the same in return. Taylor can and will play elsewhere. If the dodgers decide to sign Freeman… and move Max to second… maybe… but let’s be honest…. Turner is a defensive liability… most likely he’ll see mostly DH at bats by mid season and that opens up more at bats at third for Lux, Taylor or whoever.
I haven’t been a Lux fan since he came up. He just didn’t measure up. Until the end of last season. He finally started to hit the ball with some consistency. Just let him play 2B. There’s no nearby wall to run into. Taylor can get some of the 2B starts, as well as his outfield starts. The Dodgers need some low cost players with upside. With Seager gone and Bellinger still the biggest question mark in baseball, we need his left handed bat. Things have changed. The Dodgers are now a right-handed heavy team.
Concur, and it was just a couple years back the Dodgers were just the opposite in being too LH heavy.
ALL RUMORS WILL SEE WHAT ANDREW COMES UP WITH HOPE THEY GET US A GOOD ROOSTER FOR 2022
The comments above have shown why he should remain on the Dodgers. Keep him!
He may never reach his full potential with Fluberts running the team. If he can just keep him at either 2nd or SS I think he may hit more consistently. Why not try that for a full season? That’s too much to ask with this team though isn’t it
Dodgers are really thin in fresh talent like Lux. Stephen Sousa PH to keep our WS chances alive last year? Pls, no mas.