Dodgers: Dave Roberts Dispels Rumors About Gavin Lux Being Held Down
With the struggles of Kiké Hernandez and Max Muncy, Dodgers fans have started to wonder where Gavin Lux is. A guy that was considered a Rookie of the Year candidate before the season is taking reps at the alternate site.
Internet rumors started to circulate quickly, and talks of service time manipulation re difficult to ignore. Lux has just 29 days of service time to his name, but the days will be counted differently in 2020. So the fact that the Dodgers have kept him away from the roster for two weeks is difficult to work around.
Dave Roberts spoke to Dodgers media on Wednesday and gave an update. In his eyes, Gavin Lux simply isn’t ready to get the callup. When he is ready to be the team’s everyday second baseman, then he will be up with the team.
Dave Roberts clarified that Gavin Lux is NOT at the alternate site for service time manipulation, he's just not quite ready yet. "He had a fast ramp up after arriving late."
— Clint Pasillas (@realFRG) August 5, 2020
Lux was a late arrival to camp for reasons that he did not want to share. That set him behind a few weeks, and it showed in his approach at the plate. Still, it’s tough to be a fan and not want his bat inserted in an offensively struggling lineup.
The Dodgers chose to call up Zach McKinstry on Wednesday, sparking debate on what happened to Lux. Doc clarified that McKinstry was already on the taxi squad and traveling with the team. That made it easy for the team to make the move. Los Angeles has a few position players dealing with various aches and pains.
The Dodgers will once again be without Mookie Betts on Wednesday night against the Padres. Betts is nursing a sore and swollen finger that kept him out of the starting lineup in three consecutive games. Edwin Rios also took a ball off of his foot that required blood to be drained from his toenail.
Dodgers: Kenley Jansen Reaches Historic Milestone in His Career
It is smart to not push Gavin before he is ready
This year’s team is already loaded. Best Dodger 25 I have seen since the Gibson year.
Gavin’s goose was cooked when he showed up late for Summer Camp due to “undisclosed reasons” (cough, cough…COVID-19). He blew any service time arguments when that happened. Plus, I’m told he didn’t play that well once he got into camp. He still has a very bright future but he gave the Dodgers all the ammunition they needed to not put him on the active squad at the beginning of the season.