Dodgers News: Walker Buehler Backs Up His Teammate Gavin Lux after Game 3 Error
Despite a game that ended dramatically and with a Dodgers win, Walker Buehler had an underwhelming line of 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 3 SO, 3 BB, and 76 P. Buehler, known for his ‘big game’ reputation, did not have the kind of start he and Dodger fans were hoping for. Luckily, Cody Bellinger pinata’d a high heater into the right-field seats in the 8th, and the rest was a Dodger W.
While Walker’s line wasn’t pretty, the numbers don’t quite tell the story of a wildly unfortunate 4th inning. In the inning, Gavin Lux, playing centerfield, dropped a ball that went as a double. The home plate umpire missed a strike 3 call on Joc Pederson. And Corey Seager narrowly missed snagging a ball to his right at shortstop.
After the game, Buehler was asked in particular about the Lux misplay in center field. Here’s the play in question, first.
After the game, Buehler was asked if this missed fly ball was a distraction or an issue. Buehler responded with an admirable show of respect and defense of his younger teammate.
“That inning is on me, not on him, not on the umpire, not on anything like that.”
Buehler took it a step further to illustrate how much confidence he and the team have in Lux.
“At the end of the day I have the ball in my hand, and me and Will (Smith) kind of control the game and control what we want to do, and I didn’t execute a lot of pitches after that. It is what it is.
Gavin is extremely talented and has been put in a position that’s extremely difficult, in that he’s playing a position he’s never played before in September and now into the playoffs. Talking to him after, I think he’s going to learn a lot just on how to make that specific play, and it just so happens that it happens at this time of year, and everyone’s going to be watching it. Gavin’s confident enough and talented enough to handle that kind of stuff.”
Buehler has always been talented at doing interviews. His stepping in front of Lux to take the shoulder of the responsibility away from him is the sign of a true leader and a good teammate.
Doc’s Thoughts
Skipper Dave Roberts also showed support for Lux, but he also tried to treat Lux like a veteran and expressed that Lux thought he should have made the play, despite its difficulty.
“I know that it’s a play that Gavin expects to make,” Roberts said. “There’s the wall. There’s some sun … Gavin won’t make any excuses. It’s a play that I know like I said, he knows he should make.”
By Buehler showing support for Lux’s performance by taking the responsibility himself, and manager Dave Roberts showing support but also expressing that Lux is good enough to make the play–that’s a sign of true confidence and respect. The Dodgers know Lux is a talented fielder despite being new to the position. The confidence and respect in his ability to make the play the next time will be a good motivator for Lux.
NEXT: Dave Roberts Confirms Julio Urias Will Start NLCS Game 4
I still don’t get it. I understand wanting to have him learn CF. It makes sense, especially if they can re-sign Seager. And I get that you want his bat in the lineup. But WHY… someone please explain it to me because I haven’t been able to wrap my head around it, would you want Lux, whose played only 10 games in CF in his career, playing there in the playoffs, especially when you have a gold glove CF on your bench and Taylor who has plenty of experience there and you can move Lux to LF. It seems dumb to me, but maybe I’m missing something.
Impressive comeback. Now let’s not be stupid anymore, put Pujols at 1st and Bellinger in CF and bench Lux he’s not hitting anymore anyway. Ron know nothing Darling tried to say this is a domino effect of Muncys injury but it’s actually the effect of the worst postseason hitter in history AJ Pollock having to be sat
Don, while you are 1000% right about Pollock and Lux. Albert has been an absolute disaster at the plate. Beaty is the logical choice at 1B. I love going down memory lane with Tio, but this is winning time!
I forgot about Beaty because of how poorly he’s been used. Yes, he would be a better option
Love the fact that Walker stood up for his guy. That tells me all I need to know as a teammate.
John, truly commendable I agree. Actually took me by surprise because in the past Butane has had a history of being somewhat arrogant at times. Really earned my respect there. His entire body language and demeanor was excellent.
I want to see Beaty too. Lux is understandably struggling in CF and after the series against the Giants his bat got a bit cold. Love Tio, but now is not the time. We need to beat the Braves and get back to the World Series and have an opportunity to beat the Astros. However, the Red Sox may have other plans and, I do not know if we will see the Astros if we make it to the World Series this year.
It disgusts me that it has to be either the Astros or redsox in the World Series once again. The AL really let America down this year
FACT.
Don, isn’t that just downright disgusting? Two cheating teams completely unpunished by a worthless baseball commissioner!
That game was literally a rollercoaster.
Buehler said the right things during the post game interview, but he clearly unraveled after: the blown strike pitch that would have retired Pederson, then the Lux and Seager fielding errors. The best way he could have supported his teammates, was to keep his mental toughness, pitch through the errors and stay in the game. For whatever reason, he hasn’t been pitching well through September and these playoffs. But each of the 4teams in the LCS are all dealing with fatigue and injuries from the long season—the team that can toughen it out and want it more than the other team will win this.
BlueMaxx, close but slightly off. Lux’s error (absolute atrocious call by the official scorer to call that a double and pin Buehler with the earned runs!) occurred prior to Joc’s AB which forced him to pitch differently with two runners on! And then Smith’s over exaggerating the pitch framing cost Buehler the strikeout. Those two factors led to his unraveling which is completely understandable!
Hey, let us all be happy that they won a thrilling game, and look forward to game 4.! Maybe this game lit a fire under the hitters, at least I hope so! But, I agree that their bench is the worst in years. I wish Kike was back!
We’ll see him and Verdugo in the World Series.
I don’t blame Lux, it’s the dumb-ass that put him there.