Dodgers: Gavin Lux Finding Success in Confidence and Extra At-Bats
Entering Tuesday night’s game, the Dodgers Gavin Lux was having a rough time. He had gone 4-for-27(.148 BA) and struck out 9 times in that same stretch to start his season. A really tough start when you consider he was the favorite for Rookie of the Year before the 2020 season kicked off.
But Tuesday night, there was an entirely different Gavin Lux stepping into the box at Chase Field. He took bad pitches and swung hard at the good pitches. He looked confident, he looked like himself. Lux powered the Dodgers to an extra-innings win with 2 homeruns and 5 runs driven in. His 3-run shot in the 10th innings proved to be the difference-maker as Arizona mounted a comeback.
Lux talked a little bit with Dodgers media after the game on what has changed for him. For Gavin, getting the reps and opportunities has been one of the biggest things for him.
I think just a little more confident. The more at-bats I get, usually the more comfortable I feel…It’s not always just mechanical a lot of it is also approach and how certain pitchers might be trying to attack me. I think just overall getting into the box and seeing pitches…it’s definitely all a learning process.
Lux also said that he wants to know everything he can about those pitchers he is facing. That’s why he has also gone to the veterans in the dugout to ask them what they know about pitchers in the game before he goes out to face them. Gavin admitted he asks the Dodgers’ Justin Turner questions pretty often.
We’ve been putting in a lot of work and just trying to stay locked in and picking guys’ brains whenever I can. Because a lot of these guys I haven’t had a chance to face. So just asking a lot of guys a lot of questions and just going from there.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts knew that this day was coming, and was happy to see Gavin being himself.
It’s good to see. I think that he’s playing much more like himself, more free and easy…Just taking good quality at-bats and it’s fun to watch. And everyone knew it was in there, sometimes it just takes a while to get your feet under you.
With Lux hoping to be the Dodgers second baseman for the 2020 playoffs, now is a good time to figure things out. Los Angeles has just 17 games remaining in the regular season before playoff baseball gets started.
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If or When Lux can be an offensive threat the Dodger lineup gets scarier. The Catchers Barnes and Smith have been playing well and putting up good offensive numbers this season. The only low spot was 2nd base.
If every position is hitting the lineup becomes very difficult to get through for 9 innings.
Glad the Dodgers are allowing Lux the at-bats to reach the potential they believe he has.
Lux was the #1 or #2 top-rated prospect last year so a lot of baseball people believe he has top tier talent.
He had 2 homers the other night with one being the winner, but last night in the 10th with 2 runners on base and 2 strikes he needed to at least protect the plate and put the ball in play– not just stand there and take the pitch which was a strike. And Cody need to be benched or dropped in the order. He comes up in critical times and becomes an automatic out with pathetic pop – ups and embarrassing K’s. Step back 3 inches to hit the inside pitches — you still can cover the outside. Right now everything is off the handle and shanked weakly with your bat head down and dragging through the zone. Hitting coaches correct the problem! The 4 spot is very important in the line-up.
Uh 2 Homer’s and he’s finding sucess? He’s not even close to the mendoza line at 143. You have a weird concept of “finding success “. Does that mean that the other players struggling to stay above the mendoza line ( bellinger, Muncy, Smith, kiki, rios, beatty) are finding sucess ?
you are all forgetting the other side of the ball. Lux’s defense at 2B has been horrible. bad positioning at the bag, bad footwork ending in poor throws. someone coach him up please!