Dodgers News: Andrew Friedman Proud of Gavin Lux's Career Rebound
Andrew Friedman has done a lot of great things since he came to the Dodgers in 2015. Aside from his team accomplishments such as winning six NL West titles and making the playoffs in all seven seasons, he's also filled the Dodgers' roster with talent, both through the draft and through free agency and trades.
From Mookie Betts to Freddie Freeman to Trea Turner, Friedman hasn't been shy to make the splashy acquisition.
But he's also been the leader of one of the best front offices in terms of drafting and developing players.
One guy Friedman has been super proud of his former first-round pick, Gavin Lux.
"Watching Gavin Lux come up -- you know, not all really talented players come up and immediately hit the ground running," Friedman said. "Some hit the ground running and then stub their toe. Some hit the ground running and keep going. Some struggle out of the gate...watching him emerge through that and become the player he has is extremely rewarding."
Lux, who the Dodgers drafted with the 20th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, didn't burst onto the scene as a star like some of his Dodger counterparts.
Lux looked good in limited action in 2019, before struggling in 2020. He had just one at-bat in the 2020 postseason, a strikeout in the NLDS.
Last year, Lux played better. But he was still falling short of his first-round potential that the Dodgers were excited about.
But rather than giving up on him, Friedman and the Dodgers stuck with their guy.
And this year, it's paid off.
As of Saturday, Lux has a career-best slash line of .290/.362/.421, with six home runs and 42 RBIs. He's been an everyday player for this Dodgers team, and, at points in the year, was the team's most consistent hitter.
Lux will undoubtedly play a huge role for the Dodgers come postseason time, and will be a key piece of the team's future.
And as the rest of his young career unfolds, no one will be happier for Lux than the guy who drafted him back in 2016.
