Dodgers News: Gavin Lux Returns From the Injured List and Has a New Role
After finally coming off the injured list, it looks like Gavin Lux is going to be another new utility guy for the Dodgers. Lux had been dealing with a hamstring strain that put him on the 10-day injured list. Now that he is back, Lux will be placed wherever the team needs him to be.
After speaking with the media on Tuesday, Dave Roberts talked about Lux starting at third base and what else he expects from him.
He hasn’t played a whole lot of third base, but he’s taken ground balls over the past few years. He’s played on the left side of the diamond so the ball comes off the same way…he looks actually really natural over there. I have all of the confidence in the world in Gavin there.
Of course, things didn’t go quite according to plan for the former top prospect. Gavin committed a pair of errors in his first start at the hot corner, both throwing. Still, this is just one position Lux may be playing for now. Roberts went on to add what else could be in store for the Dodgers’ infielder, and how they are going to use him to their advantage.
I think right now for Gavin it’s help in any way you can and I know he is of that same mind. Whether it’s third, it’s second, it’s potentially right field, it’s a bat off the bench, it’s a pinch-hit, pinch-run, whatever the ball club needs, I know he is up for it.
As Roberts continued, he also said what to expect of Lux, he’s out in right field.
He’s taken some fly balls out there, moved around. Gavin is a very athletic player. It’s just playing deep second base. If he’s out there, he’ll be fine.
Having a player that is as versatile as Lux is a big benefit to the Dodgers. If he is able to be placed in any fielding spot and be successful, then that is a big win. We’ll just have to give him some time.
NEXT: On Dave Roberts; A Wonderful Man, and a Decision Making Liability
Why all the GavinWorship?!? The most over-hyped new guy in recent MLB history.
Give the kid a chance. It’s his first time at 3B. It’s tough just coming off the IL and playing a new position.
Lux, no confidence, can’t hit. Looked out of place for now at third. Needs change of scenery. Should have been traded. With Trea Turner signed thru next yr and hopefully beyond there’s no place for him. Matt Beaty better solution.
Well that “new role” is not going to work, for what ever reason he has had trouble with a simple throw no matter what position they put him in the infield, weak arm and very little accuracy, his technique is very poor and quite frankly you would have thought with his time in this organization, someone should have helped him with these issues by now, top that off with the fact he has little value with the bat and the next position he should play is somewhere in OKC or maybe in another organization. He has not lived up to the potential the Dodgers thought he would have and frankly I don’t think he ever will. With the players currently on the rooster, the Dodgers have the benefit of several players that can play any of the infield positions far more acceptably than Lux.
Dear Dave: Not is not the time to experiment with “new roles” when every game is a “must win” You have players more capable than Gavin at third base. He will never handle it. Every throw to first is an adventure. You would be better off bringing up an actual third baseman from AAA to fill in for an injury than experimenting. That darn near cost the game last night.
Right on! Roberts will ultimately cost this team to be bounced in the first round this October by his managing and in game decisions alone.
love the optimism. didn’t you learn anything last year watching the Dodgers go all the way with doc at the helm? Dodgers will repeat as World Champions this fall.
One game at 3rd and you guys are ready send the kid to the dungeons.
Sandy, it’s not about sending Lux to the dungeons. It’s about Roberts and the Dodgers putting him at 3rd, a position he has never played professionally until a few recent games at OKC. It’s about being in a pennant chase which is not a the time for experimentation
He’s not really that versatile, he doesn’t give you a good AB, and putting him at positions he has no experience in is not a recipe for success. He makes a good pinch runner, that’s about it. He needs to go to another organization, who re-invents him as a slap hitting, bat to ball, higher walk rate, lower K rate, get on base any way Brett Butler type base running disrupter. Dodgers don’t bunt, steal, they teach their hitters to hit it in the air, it just doesn’t fit this guys skills, and he has no game the way he plays now.
Batboy?
Tim, that position of bat boy might be suitable for Roberts as I see it.
Should the Dodgers take the time to teach Lux how to play 3rd base this late in the season?I don’t think so! I’d rather see McKinstry at 3rd and is also a better hitter than Lux.
Roberts is so clueless and stubborn he obviously cannot see or understand what the rest of us and the baseball world can see. This is NOT the time to be experimenting Lux at 3rd, as evidenced by last night’s game. Both Lux and of course dumb zRoberts once again were close to costing the Dodgers that game. Let me simply say I’m tired of Robert’s act. What a joke of a manager he is! And Lux? IDK.
Dodgers almost let last night’s game get away as Jansen was a bit shaky again.
The Dodgers defense is Horrible. Lux had trouble in the minors at SS so they switched him to 2nd. His decision-making is questionable at best. Trea Turner is a SS but they put him at 2nd. That is not fair to Trea this late in the season. Games Will be lost especially to the above .500 i.e. playoff-caliber teams. Jansen is a nightmare. Treinen Needs to be the closer.
I second that on the closer. Jansen can be the set up — maybe.
Oh, I forgot. Roberts doesn’t want us to say anything bad about Jansen. He was great for a couple of seasons, but everyone declines.
Stupid Roberts for benching Justin Turner and Max Muncy.
As I said before
That’s Roberts for ya.
I know, but WTF is wrong with him?
That’s a great question to which there’s no clear answer but his recent in game management decisions and how he handles daily lineups leave a great deal to be desired.
If we had someone like Sciosa, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
Lux sucks. Making 2 errors last night and 0 for 3. Why would you sit down Turner and Muncy and then bring them in for a pitch hit. This does not make any sense. Where is Betts? Vacation maybe. I think we have a position problem for him. To hard for Management I think. Betts won’t be back, there is no place for him right coach
Do any of you here believe there’s another manager on the face of this earth who would put Lux at 3rd base right during a critical time of year in a pennant chase when he’s had no prior experience there?
His idea of giving guys the day off once a week or so is ridiculous, when I was playing and later coaching in the Minor’s unless you had a ding that made it difficult for you to play effectively, you were pissed when you read the lineup card and you were not in the starting lineup. It is humorous that only certain players get the night off yet he seems to run Taylor there out every night . Again as a player when you have it going like Muncy hitting two out the night before after going through a streak where he was having difficulty even making consistent contact and you sit him. Really, what is the logic it that? He is clueless, never anticipates a situation but only reacts and in most cases, too late. He is managing a ball club with the most talent in the MLB yet due to his ineptitude, will come in second in the division to an inferior Giants ball club.
Right on, Chip. And to the point.
So, what did Lux hit at Oklahoma City? Every article about him should state that and, unless he was on fire at OKC, question Mr. Roberts. I tried looking it up and didn’t find any BA posted at OKC. If he wasn’t on fire, he should be kept at OKC until he’s showing the hitting skills shown before he first came up with the Dodgers. And an ability to throw accurately from 3B.
Safe to say the Dodgers have taken the wrong approach with Lux since last year. He lacks confidence because they used the “sink or swim” philosophy with him. Kinda late to fix that especially when the team is in a pennant race. At this point play him in situations where he is likely to succeed. This is one of the things a manager is supposed to handle. Lasorda for all his nose picking wouldn’t have had difficulty launching Lux.
What is going on with Lux. What he says and how he acts do not match. No smiles no reaction with players. Sour faces!!!!
should be on the bench or in the minors