Dodgers Shortstop Gavin Lux Confident He'll Return to Pre-Injury Form
Coming off a torn ACL, Dodgers shortstop Gavin Lux is ready to prove that he is back to being fully healthy. Lux missed the entire 2023 season due to the injury, but he is expected to be ready for Opening Day.
Lux spoke with SportsNet LA about how everything was going this offseason, and he believes that it won't take long for him to return to his pre-injury form.
“Absolutely," Lux said. "I think it’s gonna take like one or two spring training games.”
Lux showed promise in 2022 and was primed to take over the everyday shortstop position before his injury last year. He will now be given that chance, and the Dodgers organization is extremely excited to see what he can do.
Over 129 games in 2022, he slashed .276/.346/.745 with six home runs and 42 runs. Lux showed improved speed on the basepaths and better bat skills.
“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.”
The way the Dodgers roster is set up, Lux compliments the stars very well. Hitting well below guys like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman gives him a sense of freedom that not many other players in the league have.
“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.”
The biggest thing for Lux will be to not rush everything and be patient at the plate. If he can get on base to help the others, it will be a welcome sight from this Dodgers' coaching staff.
