Dodgers News: Gavin Lux is Already Feeling Like His Pre-Injury Self

After spending 2023 recovering from an ACL injury, Gavin Lux might be the biggest X-factor for the Dodgers next year. The Dodgers will feature him prominently as the everyday shortstop, and lean on him to turn the lineup over.

He joined SportsNet LA to talk about his recovery and how he’s feeling heading into spring training this year. Jerry Hairston Jr. asked Lux if he thinks he’ll need some time to reacclimate himself to being on the field again.

“Absolutely,” Lux said. “I think it’s gonna take like one or two spring training games.”

This makes sense for someone who’s used to playing baseball all day every day. Lux commented earlier in the interview that he has not taken an entire year off baseball since he was a kid.

A lingering question this offseason is how Lux feels physically compared to last year. He provided some good news on that front during the interview.

“Physically, where I’m at right now, I’m running about the same speed as I was pre-injury, jumping the same. Everything is right where it needs to be, it’s just that mental last part of just, ‘I got to get out there and do it in a game and show myself,’ which is great because we got all spring to do that.”

Coming up as a prospect, Lux’s athleticism was always held in high regard. So, to hear that he feels the same as he did pre-injury is a good sign, especially when it comes to his explosiveness. He’ll need all the lateral quickness he can to play an effective shortstop next year.

In 2022, Lux was making a name for himself at the bottom of the Dodgers’ lineup. He alluded to possibly continuing that role next year and what the offense can do if he performs.

“Getting on base, and trying to cause havoc for Mookie (Betts), Freddie (Freeman), Shohei (Ohtani), Will (Smith), all the guys at the top. We can score a lot of runs if I just get on base for those guys.”

Mookie Betts had 107 RBIs last year, and that was with Miguel Rojas and, occasionally, Austin Barnes at the bottom of the order. Lux was hitting close to .300 in the nine-hole in 2022 before a neck injury hampered his season. If Lux can get close to that stat line again, Betts and the rest of the crew will have even more RBI opportunities.

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

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