Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced this morning that infielder Gavin Lux suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during yesterday’s Cactus League game and will miss the 2023 season (Twitter thread via Juan Toribio of MLB.com). Lux also sustained damage to his right knee’s LCL. He’ll undergo surgery on March 7.
Lux, 25, was slated to step into the spotlight as the Dodgers’ primary shortstop following the free-agent departures of Corey Seager following the 2021 season and Trea Turner this past offseason. However, while advancing from second to third base on a grounder in yesterday’s game, Lux altered his course a bit to avoid a throw across the diamond. In doing so, the infielder’s knee buckled, and he immediately tumbled to the ground in pain. Lux was unable to put any weight on his right leg and was carted off the field.
With Lux now out for the season, the Dodgers’ January reacquisition of infielder Miguel Rojas now becomes a far more pivotal pickup. Rojas, who’s spent the past half decade as the Marlins’ primary shortstop (after being traded from the Dodgers to Miami), is a light hitter but grades out as one of the best defensive shortstops in the game. He’d been ticketed for a utility role but will now step up as the everyday shortstop in Lux’s absence. Roberts added that Swiss army knife Chris Taylor could get some reps in the infield as well, and Mookie Betts could see some extra work at second base for the Dodgers, too (Twitter link via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times).
The 2022 season saw Lux take the field for a career-high 129 games and slash 276/.346/.399 in a career-high 471 plate appearances. That was solid production — 13% better than average, per wRC+ — but it also bears mentioning that a woeful cold streak in September and October weighed down Lux’s end-of-season numbers. Lux was slowed by neck and and upper-back soreness late in the year, receiving a cortisone injection and missing about two weeks of action while mending that injury. Based on the way his season finished out, it doesn’t seem the injection and downtime had their intended effect.
Through Sept. 1, Lux was slashing a far more robust .293/.368/.428 in 418 plate appearances. During the season’s first five months, he walked at an 11% clip and fanned at a lower-than-average 18.9% rate. Upon returning on Sept. 17, however, Lux tallied 53 more plate appearances but hit just .154/.170/.192 with an alarming 30.2% strikeout rate and 1.9% walk rate.
Between that five-month run to open the 2022 season, a strong K-BB profile, sharp defensive grades at second base and Lux’s pedigree as a former first-round pick and universally lauded top prospect, a 2023 breakout seemed like a real possibility. That’ll no longer be the case, and it’s a gut-punch for both the Dodgers and for Lux. He’ll spend the year on the injured list, gaining Major League service time along the way and inching closer to free agency at the conclusion of the 2026 season.
Rojas figures to be a downgrade with the bat on the heels of a .236/.283/.323 showing in 2022. While he did post a much more solid .277/.334/.398 line from 2019-21 (1208 plate appearances), Rojas just turned 34 and has seen his quality of contact degrade considerably over the past couple seasons. However, while he doesn’t have the offensive upside of Lux, Rojas should provide the Dodgers with lights-out glovework at the position. He piled up a gaudy 15 Defensive Runs Saved and 11 Outs Above Average with the Marlins at shortstop in 2022, and dating back to 2017 he’s been credited with 27 DRS and 19 OAA in more than 4800 innings.
Even if Rojas gives the Dodgers a more-than-passable replacement option at shortstop, Lux’s injury still thins out the organization’s infield depth in a meaningful way — particularly with top prospect and projected regular second baseman Miguel Vargas also dealing with a hairline fracture in his pinkie finger. While there’s no indication Vargas is expected to miss substantial time with the injury — he’s playing in Cactus League games but not swinging during his plate appearances at the moment — subtracting Lux from the roster likely pushes a depth option such as Yonny Hernandez up from Triple-A. The outfield depth is also impacted, as any time Taylor spends in the infield cuts into his availability elsewhere on the diamond.
It’s feasible that the Dodgers could yet look to add some infield depth, though options on the free-agent market at this point are extremely limited. Veterans like Jose Iglesias, Jonathan Villar, Didi Gregorius and Andrelton Simmons remain unsigned, but the latter three in particular have had their share of recent struggles. The Dodgers are no strangers to making small-scale trades and adding depth via waivers, of course, and this injury gives them the freedom to accommodate a new acquisition on the 40-man roster by shifting Lux to the 60-day injured list.
NoPlanB
Trade coming up!
This one belongs to the Reds
Jose Iglesias on line one!
DBH1969
I don’t understand why this guy is still unsigned. Did he hit on someone’s mom, or steal somebody’s pudding from the fridge?
Does anyone know why he’s being left on the unclaimed pile?
miltpappas
He’s over-valued. His batting average and fielding “prowess” are highly exaggerated. People have known this for years.
mlb1225
Iglesias might not be the best shortstop ever, but he still managed an above average OBP an average defense at shortstop.
mlb1225
He still had an above average OBP and was about average defensively. He’s not a game changer, but perfectly acceptable bench shortstop.
RobM
@DBH, maybe he initially asked too much, and/or teams preferred some other options. Eventually, he’ll be signed, simply due to injuries. Perhaps a door has opened here.
DBH1969
I wish my Sox brought back for a 3rd time. He’s a good player. Not an all-star, but a solid player. Better than a lot of other SS’s out there.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Sux for Lux…
@budselig6969
Sure Jan
FSF
This was not a luxury they could afford.
mlbdodgerfan2015
I wonder what the appetite is for a trade. I’m sure Friedman has been on the phones. But to me, unless you’re going to pull the trigger for a difference maker like Adames, you’re better off just waiting and seeing. Dodgers really need young guys with upside like Outman/Vargas to produce.
StreakingBlue
I think the Dodgers have enough depth to wait to see how it plays out. I don’t think the Dodgers like to trade with the look of desperation. Thats how a team gets fleeced.
Superstar Prospect Wander Javier
There was some interest in Jorge Mateo earlier this offseason. Could be a good fit now
just_thinkin
Mateo?
HalosHeavenJJ
Dodgers have already tried to trade for Rengifo once.
An infielder for an arm cross town trade makes a lot of sense.
Omarj
That deal makes more sense now. It was my first reaction after finding out about Lux.
Win Cor
…Send a decent player to Phillies for Edmundo Sosa
DarkSide830
No touchy Sosa
Steve Cohen Owns You
Garbage for garbage?
Lanidrac
They already have Rojas as a glove-first shortstop.
rondon
I think they’ll call about Madrigal.
rondon
Move Rojas to SS and pick up Madrigal. He’s a solid second baseman that can get on base for the big boys -and he won’t cost a Baez amount of money.
Deadguy
Lux is way to young to be screwing his knee up to this degree simply altering course… and getting cortisone shots…. Dodgers shoulda paid up
#1WhiteSoxFan
Good time for White Sox to trade TA#7 in a blockbuster trade with LAD!
This one belongs to the Reds
If White Sox fan aants him to go away, doubt LA will want him.
Try SD. They like clubhouse cancers and hoard shortstops.
dvmin98
Except they have none. You obviously don’t pay attention to Padres baseball if you think Manny is a clubhouse cancer. He’s the face of the team and had been nothing more than a true leader. Odor is on a MiLB contract and won’t even be on the team come April.
This one belongs to the Reds
Interesting you think it was Manny being talked about when Tatis is the biggest cancer in the league. Though I will give you that Manny got a bad rap in LA.
dirkg
Angels will trade Andrew Vasquez for a snickers bar and a bucket of balls.
Okay, just a snickers.
dirkg
Andrew Velazquez…freakin spell check.
Buuba ho tep
Lux is as injury prone as glasnow
Buuba ho tep
He should get a job in Vegas at the LUX or casino
88dodgers
Damn
RonDarlingShouldntBeInTheHallOfFame
Tough break for the kid. This seemed like his year to break out.
brewsingblue82
Agreed. Granted they’ve had some opportunities to break out so far, but it really seemed like this year was going to be their best chance to really show what they can do. Hate seeing things like this happen to the ones trying to really have their shining moment.
brodie-bruce
hoping for the best for lux and comes out swinging in 24 not a lad fan but it’s hard to route against the kid few times i’ve watched him play you can see the love he has for the game
brewsingblue82
Agreed. I’m not a Dodgers fan either but I hate to see any career detailed from injuries, but especially when it’s someone still trying to breakout.
Unclemike1526
Is it just me or are way too many valuable guys getting hurt WAY too early? I know these guys are in shape to play basically all year round now but do they need to be playing this much this early? I know some people will say they might just as well get hurt later than sooner, But most teams are playing their younger guys early to get them Major League AB’s before they get shipped off to Minor League camp, So they’re trying to make an impression and probably trying too hard. Just seems like there are more than usual, earlier than usual.
brodie-bruce
@uncle tbh i think it’s all the work the players put in the offseason and they never let there bodies fully rest.
BlueSkies_LA
Someone says this every spring. It’s funny how infrequently players injure themselves when they aren’t playing baseball.
southern lion
Tough news to hear. Speedy recovery
Blue Baron
No speedy recovery when you miss an entire season.
brewsingblue82
The recovery can be speedy, even if the return isn’t.
User 2079935927
He just likes the dopey speedy recovery line and uses it way too much.
brewsingblue82
I gotcha. I don’t read the comments in the injury headlines as much as other articles I suppose. Mostly a traditional trade, signings, rumors kind lol
southern lion
@Winslow Leach,
Exactly how many times have I used it, if you’re keeping count? If you’re ever injured I hope your recovery is speedy too. Have you made note of all my comments?
Wow, all this time I’ve had a stalker and didn’t even know it…..
southern lion
The like for your comment is from me. Have a great day.
kiddhoff
Wow!
BEATNGU
Looks like CT3 or Rojas I see no additional trades happen prior to the season to address the position.
RonDarlingShouldntBeInTheHallOfFame
Signing Iglesias would seem to be the obvious fit..
deweybelongsinthehall
Absolutely
Win Cor
As a a stop gap to help as much as possible; It is an obvious move. There is no other, unless there is a trade of some sort.
Superstar Prospect Wander Javier
Chris Taylor has not been good at SS. Better suited in a utility role.
Unclemike1526
Didn’t see your post Drascoo before I posted mine but yeah I think you’re right. I think you meant Rojas though, Rios is on the Cubs.
drasco036
The Dodgers brought in Rios as insurance just in case Lux defensively couldn’t handle short stop, only makes sense now to give him the keys to start the season and see if they need to make a trade later in the year.
Now my next question is it just me or have spring training games either started sooner or have “regulars” started playing sooner? It seems to me that either used to start with a lot more minor league players and pitchers only going an inning to start. I was shocked to see the Cubs use their projected opening day line up to kick off spring training games. Perhaps I just haven’t been paying that much attention to spring training this season but it just seemed sudden to see players starting games so soon. It also seems like an abundance of injuries
DBH1969
Ooouuuccch. Really wish him the best.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
I said it earlier and I’ll say it again. Dodgers did not have a great off-season. This doesn’t help.
avenger65
I know the Dodgers wanted to watch their spending this off-season, but it seems that if you want to stay in contention for a WS title, you have to. Now they’re left trying to patch up the holes. They already moved their 2b man (Lux) to SS. Now they’re thinking of moving a 3b/of to SS and their rf to 2b at times. Now they may have to spend.
mlbdodgerfan2015
Who is the 3B/OF to SS that the Dodgers are moving? The Dodgers still have a lot of question marks all over the roster. I think it’s best to wait and see if the youngsters are going to be able to play. If not, you have to decide to wait and re-load for next season or trade for a few pieces and make a run.
Flyby
Think they are referring to Vargas.
mlbdodgerfan2015
Thanks. No way is Vargas playing SS. Where did he read that? Is he getting Vargas confused with Rojas?
Flyby
Rojas never played the outfield as far as i can recall the only other person is maybe chris taylor but if they move betts to 2nd and they want Vargas to continue to play he has to move somewhere as martinez isnt really an outfielder anymore.
RonDarlingShouldntBeInTheHallOfFame
All I’m saying is, if Vargas, Rojas, or Munch get hurt? They’re in deep trouble..especially if a starter or two goes down..which is likely to happen..
mlbdodgerfan2015
This is funny. I meant he’s getting Rojas/Vargas mixed together. Two players into one player. Vargas 3B/OF and moving to SS (but that’s Rojas). Anyhow, who really knows his original thought.
It has to be that they feel Vargas is not ready for 2B for them to move Betts there. Dodgers don’t really have anyone else to play 2B outside of Taylor. But sounds like he’s also going to play some SS, probably because they feel like Rojas is not going to hit enough. Problem is that Taylor is not the best fielding SS. Unless Busch emerges they may need Betts to play some 2B.
TrumpisMyGawd
Dodgers will move Muncy to SS and Mookie to 3B. Then Steve Garvey will un-retire and take up 1B/3B/RF.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
Mookie never played 3B I believe…
websoulsurfer
MLBdodger, Articles on this website quoted Roberts as saying Vargas could see time at SS and Betts at 2B.
websoulsurfer
Vargas already got hurt. Hairline fracture in his pinkie. He is not able to swing a bat.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
Exactly my point. I never thought Lux was a SS anyway. They lost a lot with Trea Turner.
I would not be surprised if the Padres win the division this year.
CommentsSectionCommenter
As a LADs fan, I would be stunned if the Padres didn’t win the West–and would’ve been BEFORE this injury….
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
True. This just made it worse. Their offense isn’t as scary as it once was with or without Lux.
StreakingBlue
Lux’s original position was SS. He was moved to 2nd base so he could play.
websoulsurfer
Lux was moved to 2B because his defense was atrocious at SS in the minors. It was in his 50 starts and 68 games at SS in the majors, too.
drasco036
The Dodgers were planning on dipping below the luxury tax and ended up getting screwed by the Bauer decision.
amk1920
Name a team that won the offseason who won the World Series recently. Astros lost Correa and didn’t do much last year…. because they didn’t need to.
mlbdodgerfan2015
Astros 2022 was mostly about much improved pitching than hitting, as hitting went down. They scored 126 less runs in 2022 compared to 2021. Losing Correa definitely impacted SS productivity and the Astros offense. It could have been even worse but they got much better offense from Alvarez and Altuve to offset some of the Correa lost productivity.
Who do the Dodgers have to offset the losses from 2022? That is the question to ask. Dodgers were hoping for improved production from Lux to offset the loss from Trea Turner. That spread is going to get wider. They have a ton of unknowns in the OF. And now with Lux gone more unknowns in the infield. Taylor now has to play a bigger role coming off a terrible 2022. Dodgers also looking for bounce backs from Heyward and Peralta. Leaning on unknowns of Outman and Vargas. Thompson match last season’s production on a bigger sample size? Some starting pitching worries in Kershaw, Gonsolin and May, mostly health. Unproven starting pitching depth which should be fine if filling in for injuries but less fine if it’s a permanent role. World is not ending and the Dodgers still have enough talent to potentially reach the playoffs but right now that seems distant.
amk1920
They won 111 games last year with dead weight in the lineup like Bellinger and CT3/JT and Muncy not hitting. I’m not convinced a team with Mookie, Freddie, JDM and Smith for a top 4 with solid depth outside of SS will be some disastrous team.
mlbdodgerfan2015
111 games is a distant memory. To make your point you’re assuming that CT3 and Muncy bounce back in 2023. You’d think so at some level, but as we’ve seen from Bellinger that is not always a given. Also, JT had an OPS+ of 116 in 2022, comparable to Martinez’s 117. He hit I think where most expected for his age. The latter has also been in decline after posting some elite numbers. He’ll likely maintain at least 2022 levels but who knows. I’ll take Martinez over J Turner at DH though.
You’d think whoever the Dodgers play at CF would be an upgrade over Bellinger but when you combine the Thompson/Outman or Thompson/Heyward platoon I’m not sure if that is going to be an upgrade. If they don’t hit it definitely won’t be an upgrade because those guys are not going to field anything close to Bellinger.
The biggest negative delta was Trea Turner to (previously) Lux, and now Rojas/Taylor at SS. That could potentially be a colossal drop off, potentially a 150-200 bps drop in OPS. Will Vargas actually play 2B, and if so, will he match Lux’s 2B output last season? Maybe, maybe not, and how much value destruction on defense? I’m a lot more confident about his offense.
Smith has also been in decline. Yeah, maintaining a 0.900 OPS on two small sample years in 2019/2020 was not sustainable. Still one of the better hitting catchers but if he declines from 2022 that would not be good. Defensively he’s still a bit of a liability.
Can Gonsolin match 2022 output? He could but I would bet the under on that one. Will Kershaw stay healthy? And if so, is he going to maintain 2022 performance or fade with age? I’m really not sure. Will May pitch better than 2022 with more time to recover? Probably but again, who knows. Will Thor pitch like his former self or more like 2022? I’d think better than 2022, but who knows. Get the pattern here? Will the rotation stay healthy so that the young starters don’t have to pitch? They have the talent but not necessarily the command yet. Lots of questions and we’re still guessing on the answers. Lots more questions than previous Dodger teams.
HalosHeavenJJ
Any time there’s a changing of the guard type season there are questions.
Lux was supposed to be one of the few guys who just needed to be himself and now he’s out, creating more questions.
Personally I think Vargas will be fine at second but for some reason I’m not sold on Outman. Just a hunch. Just like I think Muncy will bounce back. Just a hunch.
Will be fun to see how it all shakes out.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
But there’s a huge difference. Padres are loaded with bats and the Dodgers were planning to replace a shortstop with a guy who hasn’t had it as his primary position.
mlbdodgerfan2015
Agreed, the Padres are much improved and the team to beat on paper. Yet another difference between 2023 and 2022. We’ll see how it plays out.
windmill_noise_causes_cancer
That Sux
Sal Manilla
Are the Dodgers going to make the Brewers an offer they can’t refuse for Adames…?
Lets get the rumours going…
riffraff
My guess- no. They may make an offer for Baez. Total guess. I thinkBaez would work since detroit can save $$ and I think Baez can opt out after this year so he may be open to playing for LA since with their lineup he could have some monster stats.
LABeachguy
I agree,sure Tigers wouldn’t mind unloading him so anyone can take his contract. Harris pick up the phone and call LA.
RonDarlingShouldntBeInTheHallOfFame
LA seems to be trying to hold the payroll where it is to pursue Ohtani though.
deweybelongsinthehall
Exactly, which is why Iglesias makes the most sense.
avenger65
They have more immediate needs than saving up for Ohtani a year from now.
RonDarlingShouldntBeInTheHallOfFame
Avenger-Signing Ohtani for the rest of his career is waaay more important than having the possibility of 1 down season.
Blue Baron
@FirstRoundAdiosMets: But the Dodgers have no control over Ohtani or his market. Teams don’t plan their rosters around such speculation.
sfjackcoke
The problem with that strategy is you waste another peak season of Betts and Freeman. LA’s larger problem is their inexpensive younger core, Urias, Bellinger, Smith isn’t inexpensive any more and in the case of Bellinger not even on the team.
I said it when they signed Freeman, he was a luxury not a necessity and IMO not worth the loss of financial flexibility. Worse he wasn’t a pitcher who could start a playoff game which that roster needed. It’s like someone didn’t tell the front office the ball is no longer juiced and PITCHING again is what wins Championships.
I’m not a fan of the team, I sort of laughingly scratch my head at their season after season attempts win a World Series (2020*) with a roster construction that is always at least 1 arm short.
Flyby
With 2 legit younger pitchers with ace / number 2 potential, kershaw, and atleast another mid rotation young pitcher with upside and another top prospect pitcher on the way which pitcher were you going for in the offseason? Scherzer at roughly 45M a year? Gausman or Robbie Ray who i think had QO attached to them and wanted multiple year? You throwing big bucks at Stroman? You taking a chance at Rodon after he had a good year after all the injuries? At the time most of these guys with the rotation you had would have been your 3rd or 4th best pitcher which is a bit much for 20-25M a year.
Also if you had signed any of those would you have taken a chance on Anderson? at that price and future years he got on his deal (assuming he keeps it up which i admit is prob not going to happen) is an absolute steal.
Lets assume you didnt sign Freeman, outside of betts who is your big bat? who is your 1st baseman even last year? Muncy maybe but then do you have turner playing 3rd everyday instead of dh? Do you sign brandon belt/rizzo for 10 mil a year less and short term? Just to have that problem this year.
it was calculated based on what they had depth wise and fit wise. There was hope they could resign trea IF the bauer thing was resolved earlier and he would have been still suspended or had the rest of the contract voided. That is where they spent incorrectly was Bauer but who could have predicted that. 34M for empty space is a bit much.
sergefunction
0.0% chance of that happening.
Scott Harris might call LA to ask about unloading Baez, but he’s going to hear a dial tone unless Chris Ilitch pays dearly for the privilege of sending Baez away.
Not happening.
slider32
Agreed, Ohtani is his own man, he will dictate where he goes!
User 2079935927
Except that signing Ohtani isn’t going to happen. Like Blue Baron said, teams don’t plan on something they don’t have control over.
User 2079935927
Profar is available . He must be a real head case if teams are back off bugalooing this guy
mlbdodgerfan2015
No issues with Freeman signing. His contract was not as long and he’s been worth the money. Of course, Bauer did not work out. For the most part though the Dodges have been pretty disciplined about big free agent signings, especially for a big market team.
But the biggest factor like you pointed out is the ability to reproduce the cheap young talent that can play at elite levels. The Dodgers had a ton of those in the last 10 years, between farm raised products and reclamation projects. Kershaw, Seager, Bellinger, Buehler, Urias, J Turner, K Hernandez, CT3, Smith, Muncy, etc. They also had quick one year reclamation success in Anderson and Heaney last season.
But guess what? What the Dodgers did is not normal so you kind of knew that at some point the party had to end. As these players aged and became eligible for free agency, many walked, some didn’t perform and some you had to pay more, preventing the team from pursuing other free agents. So unless you keep reproducing these type of players at some point the success party will come to an end. For the party to keep going guys like Vargas and Outman will need to perform. Perhaps others like Stone, Miller, Busch, etc. It was supposed to be Lux’s coming out party in 2023 but others will have to step up.
2020 was not an asterisk. Please. The Dodgers have been one of the deepest teams every year in the last 10 seasons. If you want a one off it was the 2021 SF Giants, because the stars aligned and you knew that was not going to be sustainable.
Blue Baron
@Winslow Leach: Bugalooing? Are we now inventing words?
sfjackcoke
Every year the LAD failed in the post season is because they were an arm or two short. Not coincidently it was a staff they rarely added to at the trade deadline except to cover injury. The 2020* Dodgers 100% benefited from not having their staff have to go thru a full regular season of games.
The rest of the league at the deadline is prepping their roster for either a shot for October or a deep post-season run. With the change in the rules at the trade deadline, you MUST have depth to cover the next 3 months, especially in the pitching staff. For all you LAD fans how are you not furious in 2022 your Game 1 playoff starter goes down in June, the front office doesn’t replace him?
Basically Friedman builds AMAZING regular season rosters figuring the playoffs are SSS (small sample size) and are “luck” so his plan is get to the post season as often as he can and hope to get “lucky”. I disagree here and believe the Post Season is more analogous to a Final Table at the WS of Poker. You do need performance (cards) but you also need the manager (player) to 1 not lose you any games and better 2 win the team a game they should not have otherwise won.
The Front office stands mostly alone in this sort of roster construction as compared to the rest of the league. Worse they pair that roster with a manager who simply doesn’t have the skill to manage the pitching staff he’s been given to a World Series. It literally is Einstein’s definition of insanity.
Every season is it’s own book, in the end it’s SCOREBOARD. The 2021 Giants completely screwed the Dodgers, not once but twice. First by winning the NL West forcing LA into the Wildcard and second forcing Dave Roberts to chewing up the LAD pitching staff for 5 games of the NLDS.
empirejim
Baez? Like the Dodgers really want to replace the K’s that Bellinger took with him? Rojas is a solid fielder and has enough experience that he can guide Vargas through the pitfalls of his first full season.
No PANIC moves, please…
SanDiegoSuperDissapointingPadres
Man…to bad the Padres singed all the shortstops this offseason, like all of them!
solaris602
Yeah, Baez is definitely not the answer. 36% K rate and his contract are just 2 reasons no team will be seeing him as a solution to any of their problems.
rct
Why would the Dodgers want to take on that massive deal? They’re already near the CBT after an offseason of moves geared towards staying under the threshold. Now you think they’ll trade for one of baseball’s worst contracts? And currently, there’s very little chance Baez opts out.
riffraff
Actually – you’re right rct. I thought Baez had 6 yr $100MM left after this year ( which with a decent year makes opting out viable) but he has 4yr $98MM. Still a shot at him opting out with the way contracts are going but no slam dunk
windmill_noise_causes_cancer
Tigers would have to eat a ton of that contract, no? Don’t see that happening.
TrumpisMyGawd
No Javy!! God no. And if he doesn’t opt out? No. No. No and then more no’s until the cows come home. Inshallah no trade for Baez.
brewsingblue82
The Brewers said before the season that Adames, Burnes and Woodrruff weren’t available. So unless the Dodgers wanted Adames bad enough to really sweeten the deal and make it to hard to say no, I highly doubt it. Plus, rumors were that if the Dodgers were to try to make an offer for Adames, Brewers would’ve likely wanted Lux as part of the return. Any return they’d want would need something that helps fill the gap for the current year to remain in contention, so without Lux, it’d have to be a pretty big offer if the Dodgers didn’t have an MLB ready player to include.
tacohole
Paging Falefa…please report to AZ to continue your Spring.
horrorluvr
Now what Dodgers? I was hoping to have a couple gaping offensive holes in the lineup.
mikep2k
Paging Jurickson Profar
mlbdodgerfan2015
Profar, especially if the Dodgers are thinking of playing Betts more at 2B, as he is more likely to play the OF. To me it is an odd suggestion to move Betts to 2B, but probably more because they feel Vargas is not going to be able to handle 2B. The defense and hitting goes down significantly for the OF by moving him to 2B. They would really need guys like Thompson, Peralta, Outman and Vargas to produce in the OF. While that is certainly possible, it’s certainly possible that neither of the four do much offensively and defensively.
empirejim
So, losing our shortstop wasnt enough… Now we need to move our best outfielder to second so we can have our rookie 2B move to an unfamiliar position in the OF which does ZERO to fill the SS position that Rojas is already primed to fill??? Ya, makes perfect sense…
mlbdodgerfan2015
I’m puzzled by Betts to 2B as well. To me it makes zero sense unless you’re really sold that Vargas is not ready for 2B. Vargas does look slow at 2B. It takes him a long time to move that long body of his. He’s more suited for the OF. Have said that all along. They need a corner OF spot to hide him.
Dodgers need to maximize their offensive output in having Rojas at SS. It’s all about team batting output. So, these moves are relevant, especially if they’re not trading for a SS and sticking with Rojas. But that is a very suspect OF if you move Betts to 2B. You have to firmly believe that guys like Outman/Vargas/Peralta/Thompson are going to hit.
mlbdodgerfan2015
Also, Vargas may be more familiar with 3B in the minors but he was not very good at it and part of the reason he played LF with the Dodgers. They also had him play 23 games in LF at AAA to get him ready. Vargas will make his impact at the plate. It’s a matter of finding a position where you can hide him. DH is not an option given Martinez so you have to look at corner OF.
Win Cor
as a utility and 2B. it helps a little but not ideal
brewsingblue82
That was my same thought was Profar
Bright Side
Profar is a Boras client. He’d want a two year deal in which he can opt out after year one. LAD are bracing themselves for FA in 2024 when a certain hitter/pitcher becomes available.
User 3595123227
That sucks and right at the beginning of spring training too. He’ll be back September 15th.
lamars
Whom are we talking about? Lux? If so, he is out all of 2023 and most of 2024.
User 3595123227
Sorry. I meant September 15th 2025.
dvmin98
That blows. Sorry Dodgers. Never want players injured.
Musgrove out only 6 weeks, thank God.
lamars
Spring training has been rough on the players this spring. Lux out for the year, Glasnow out 8 week with a strain, Musgrove out 6 weeks with a fractured toe and Seiya Suzuki is out with a moderate left oblique strain.
uvmfiji
Holy Crap. That’s like losing Jordan and then Pippen, then Kukoc. Helloooo Bill Wennington!
Melchez17
Javier Baez?
mlb1225
Only way the Tigers find someone to take Baez is if they eat at least half of the contract. Or include like Torkelson or Greene.
avenger65
I thought Baez was supposed to be the cornerstone of their rebuild, thus the contract that makes it almost impossible to trade him.
GarryHarris
I would do that if I were the Tigers. I doubt Greene will be the star he’s hyped to be. Regardless, the Tigers have a variety of hyped throw ins.
uvmfiji
DIDI!!!!!
NoNeckWilliams
Tim Anderson
cwsOverhaul
Sounds good to this WSox fan except the FO isn’t aware the only teams they are better than in the AL are Oakland/Detroit/KC. Every team in AL East is better + Angels/Texas also passed them up.
Unclemike1526
Sox aren’t going to trade Anderson before next off season. And if they DO trade him at the deadline this year, That means the Wheels have not only come off, They’ve fallen off a cliff and into a ravine.
wileycoyote56
Tough break for Gavin, been there done that, it can take 2-3 years to regain 100% use and mobility after surgery.
Mike 97
Time for LA to sign Jurickson Profar or trade for Bryan Reynolds.
avenger65
They’re both outfielders. Unless they move Mookie to 2b full time which would be a bad idea. By the way, who is the Dodger’s 2b man?
lamars
Vargas was supposed to be the starting 2nd baseman. Not sure that is still the plan with Lux’s injury.
ByeByeBalboni
Every year. Every. Stinkin. Year.
ForeverGiantsFan
Injury prevents Lux from becoming a star in 2023. He must be frustrated with his bad luck. Hopefully he gets another opportunity with Dodgers or another organization. He’s an above average hitter.
highheat
Never good to see injuries to any degree (and I hate to be that guy), but from the Dodgers’ perspective at least it happened during Spring Training. Since there is no Active Roster currently, he can be put on the IL and not accrue service time while still getting his salary.
And there will be opportunities to trade for NRIs (with play time clauses) that other clubs risk losing heading into the season.
Definitely not a good scenario to be in, but there’s still time to address it.
Armaments216
Lux will be moved to the IL and he will accrue a full year of service time for 2023. Moving him to the 60-day IL will immediately open a spot on the 40-man roster.
goob
Are you sure he doesn’t accrue service time? I’m pretty sure he does.
highheat
“Players also earn a full season if they spend at least 30 days on an active Major League or Minor League roster AND their active-roster and injured-list time amounts to at least 90 days in a given season”
That’s from the MLB Glossary about Minor League Options; since there is no Active Roster during ST, any players moved to the IL before the start of the season are never “technically” occupying an Active Roster spot (and it doesn’t necessitate using an Option to start a rehab assignment).
A similar thing happened when Josh Rojas strained his oblique and wasn’t able to make the Opening Day roster last season.
goob
Thanks highheat, but there must be other details/caveats that prevail over what you posted. In todays A. Franco chat, he confirmed that Lux will accrue service time while he’s on the IL this year.
GarryHarris
Javier Baez
Brew88
The Dodgers will fill the position well, I’m sure of that. But what a bummer for Lux, this was an important year for him to establish himself as a solid mainstay.
acoss13
Jose Iglesias is available, not like the Dodgers are going to be going under the luxury tax so might as well sign a pretty good defensive shortstop with a decent to good bat.
theroyal19
It’s felt like they wanted Rojas to be the utility guy, give Muncy breaks against tough lefties and breathers for Vargas/Lux.
If they like Rojas best in the utility role, I think Iglesias definitely makes the most sense
Guarded Indian
Iglesias or Simmons worth bringing in on a flier with no guarantees. I suppose Didi could be an option, again with no guarantees of success.
snakebyte32
Paul DeJong has had a couple of underwhelming seasons in a row. If his spring does not go well he may be DFA’d with almost exactly 5 years of service time. Would be available for the league minimum and has potential to carry a team when he gets on a streak. Nothing flashy, but doesn’t break the bank and would be one heck of a roll of the dice. STL is in a bit of a roster crunch and if Walker forces his way into the starting roll they will need the place on the 40 man.
brodie-bruce
@snakebyte32 that not a bad thought, dejong for a low a lotto ticket, maybe he is a change of scenery guy when he first came up he was exciting to watch above avg d and some pop. i don’t what happened to him did his production fall off because of coaching at the mlb level because when he was demoted then called back for few weeks he looked like his old self then went back to looking lost at the plate. i’m not saying the dodgers are a perfect fit because i want the roster spot for someone else but because the dodgers seem to have a knack of turning players careers around. it could be the low risk high upside move that always seems to work out for lad
Armaments216
DeJong for a lottery ticket plus Blake Treinen as a salary offset could make the Dodgers interested and clears a spot on the St. Louis roster until at least midseason.
CardsFan57
Cardinal fans will lose their minds with this thought but would Tommy Edman and a decent outfielder be enough to get the Dodgers to give up one of their never ending supply of good pitchers.
A recent interview Edman gave told me two things. 1) He has zero interest in moving back to second base. He has the glove to be a top defender at short. 2) He has every intention of being the next Dansby Swanson signing a huge contract. I don’t blame him and I wish him well. The Cardinals aren’t signing him long term.
Hold down short with some combination of DeJong, Winn, and Donovan while waiting for Winn to be the full time shortstop. A top notch starter would certainly ease the pain of losing Tommy.
brodie-bruce
@57 you make good points and trading tommy would sting, but it will sting less if we can pick up a sp with top 3 potential, but for all that is holy please no dejong full time at ss unless we can dh for him instead of the pitcher. wish the best of luck to paul always liked him but i’ve seen enough of his bat, i hope he goes out and takes and makes me eat crow but i’m not counting on that
THEY LIVE!!!
I was thinking the same thing but you nailed it. Tommy Edman to the
Dodgers for some Dodger prospects at SP.
CardsFan57
Oh no. Tommy Edman doesn’t go for a prospect. Him and a decent outfielder for a proven top starter. St Louis has no need for prospects. They have plenty of their own. This will never happen because LA won’t give the only thing St. Louis needs. A top starter.
lamars
Why would the Dodgers want a guy who has back to back underwhelming seasons to replace Lux and his production. When they could go out and trade for someone better or sign Iglesias or someone like Simmons?
CardsFan57
I don’t think a 6.4 WAR season is underwhelming. 108 OPS+ with Gold Glove caliber defense at short and 30+ stolen bases under the old rules is not underwhelming. Edman will likely steal at least 40 bases this year.
lamars
Sorry, my reply was to Armament who mentioned trading for DeJong. Edman would be a great replacement, but I don’t see the Cardinals making that trade.
dirty617water
Walls,Brujan, Basabe from Rays.
hiflew
Brujan makes a lot of sense and Tampa was looking to move him. Plus the Rays and Dodgers have a lot in common front office wise. I think it makes too much sense to be honest.
bryce1344
Trade for Dejong. On last year of contract and like other Cards position players traded or released he’s likely to hit 30 homers for the Dodgers
Cohn Joppolella
I wonder if Swanson would approve a trade this early.
stubby66
I’m all for Adames for Pepiot, May, and Miller
BlueSkies_LA
No deal unless the Dodgers also throw in the team bus.
StreakingBlue
And a handful of the original Dodger Dogs
derail76
I’m interested to see how Yonny Hernandez does in camp. He doesn’t offer a lot in the power department, but he gets on base and steals bases at will. He plays all over the infield and is good defensively wherever you stick him. He’s already on the 40 man roster.
hiflew
Why is everyone suggesting shortstops for the Dodgers. They have Miguel Rojas as their SS. Lux was likely going to be the 2B. I think Rougned Odor or Jonathan Villar makes much more sense than Iglesias or Gregorius.
The Human Toilet
Depth reasons, the Dodgers are pretty slim in that area in the first place.
Also Dodgers FO does not need to torture their fans with Jonathan Villar, nobody deserves that type of torture it is just cruel and this is coming from a Cubs fans.
mlbdodgerfan2015
I believe that Lux was going to be starting SS and Rojas was signed for depth/defensive purposes.
Rsox
Vargas is expected to play 2B. Taylor too. Lux was expected to be the SS and as has been stated in both articles Rojas was ticketed for a Utility role
mlbdodgerfan2015
Understood Rsox. Just wondering what the deal is with Roberts saying Betts will play some 2B. Why would you do that if you have Vargas there. He also said Taylor will play some SS. Dodgers just looking for optionality but really a lot of the options are not optimal.
Rsox
Roberts has a bizarre fixation with seeing Mookie at 2B.
BlueSkies_LA
He does?
Rsox
Had the Dodgers signed Judge the expectation from the Dodgers was Mookie would move to 2B
mlbdodgerfan2015
Exactly 7 games, 5 starts and 46 innings played at second base in each of the last two seasons. Kind of odd how these are exact numbers. Mookie is a good athlete that can use his national athleticism to cover up lack of recent experience.
Joc Pederson at 1B? That was painful to watch. What the Dodgers are constantly looking for is flexibility and optionality. They’ll even sacrifice some defense to achieve it.
BlueSkies_LA
Number 1, the Dodgers were never going to sign Judge. Number 2, the idea behind returning Betts to 2B is about the Dodgers preserving their longterm investment in the player. Leading to Number 3, which is this “bizarre fixation,” if you insist on calling it that, comes from somewhere not called Dave Roberts.
StreakingBlue
Lol clueless comment
implant
Yeah ya got Rojas. Not bad after Seager and Trea. 81-81
lamars
Lux was the starting SS and Rojas was the utility.
gary55wv
Orioles ought to sweep in an take advantage
dom d
See how spring training plays out. The Mets maybe looking to move Eduardo Escobar.
Steve Cohen Owns You
No they’re not.
Rsox
Iglesias or Didi on the cheap. Rojas is fine but they still need another SS capable Infielder
DanUgglasRing
Horrible news, hate to see a guy like him get hurt on what looked to be a potential breakout season. Timing is insanely bad with the Vargas injury too. I can’t believe how many people are dying they should go get Baez though, the strikeouts and contract are obvious massive obstacles to getting a deal done as I simply can’t imagine Detroit jumping at the chance to eat 40 to 60 percent of his remaining money just to move on.
implant
Not gonna be a good season for the dodgers.
Echopark
I don’t believe a word of the scenarios the Dodgers are throwing out – Mookie to 2B solves nothing, and I don’t think the Dodgers want or think Taylor can play SS. Maybe in a one or two game pinch. And Yonny Hernández should not sniff the MLB roster, much less playing SS. Dodgers 1000% need to and will go out and get an MLB SS capable player – sign, trade and/or waiver.
Rsox
If Mookie is at 2B then the Dodgers must be leaning towards carrying Heyward because the OF depth is about as shallow as the IF depth
mlbdodgerfan2015
Interesting observation. That’s like throwing crap on the wall and hoping at least two OFs stick/perform. No one really proven for 2023 in OF outside of Betts.
Rsox
David Peralta while not great, is a proven commodity. The Dodgers could re-think their position on JD Martinez not playing any OF but that would probably be a bad idea
slider32
Problem solved, Torres to second, and IKF to SS, Outman and prospect Sheehan to to the Yanks.
R.D.
It’s interesting watching the Dodgers decline after being so good for so long. This just shows that their depth is not nearly what it was even 2 years ago.
That said I would not be surprised if Rojas has a career year. He barely needs to be an above average hitter to be incredibly valuable.
Echopark
These season comes down to – like with every team – health. But in the Dodgers’ case, it also comes down to – in the most basic terms – the offensive output of Muncy, Vargas and Taylor. You could swap out underperformance by one of them with an offense outbreak from this pool: Heyward, Thomson, Outman. But that’s the most likely indicator of how the season goes.
sax332n86
That 111 win team sure seems like a long time ago for some reason. If these young guys don’t pan out, and we don’t get a better season out of Chris Taylor, plus similar production out of Freeman and Betts, this team could look awfully mediocre after so many years of leading NL in runs scored.
ForeverGiantsFan
I think Dodgers are still a playoff team. They have the best minor league talent in baseball. They can plug any hole with a minor leaguer or trading for for players to fill any holes.
Sunday Lasagna
The Dodgers are a 100 plus win team without Lux.
The outfield lost errr ….gained from moving on from Bellinger 2022 OPS+ of 78 and 3 years removed from his GG.
The infield lost Justin Turner, Trea Turner and Gavin Lux. Ok, up until this off-season there were plenty who were sour on Lux. Justin Turner is 38! How many starting 38 year old 3B’s are there? Trea is a loss for sure, will cost them a 10% decrease in wins going from Trea to Rojas. But Muncy and Vargas do fill the shoes at 3B and 2B.
Catcher we still have one of the best bats at the position
DH JD Martinez fits nicely
SP……Urias, Kershaw, Gonsolin, Syndergaard, May, Miller, Stone, Pepiot…..not a team in baseball that wouldn’t wNt those 8
RP addition by subtraction, no more kimbrel
111 wins minus the Trea Turner loss equals 100 wins and one more win in November than any other team! Go Blue!
mlbdodgerfan2015
Hope you are correct, but let’s dissect this. In the OF, the Dodgers don’t have anyone to play the same CF defense that Bellinger played. Yes, most likely the CF offensive production will be better but right now nobody is proven for 2023. Thompson’s 2022 was a small sample. Outman we have no idea what he’ll put up. Peralta is fading badly but perhaps on a platoon he’s more than adequate. Heyward? Lots of question marks. Infield. The true comparison is Vargas (or whoever plays 2B) versus Lux (2022), and Rojas/Taylor versus Trea Turner. Yes, Lux was not going to come close to matching Trea Turner’s productivity at SS but that gap has widened. Taylor is not a good long-term solution. Can Rojas produce at the plate?
Starting pitching is filled with health question marks. Thor is a good bounce back candidate but health prone. Kershaw posted good 2022 numbers but was hurt again and will likely be hurt again in 2023 at some point. Gonsolin had a great 2022 but I’m not sure if I quite believe it and if he’s fully healthy. May should bounce back but there are no guarantees. The only constant is Urias. The youngsters are fine to fill in but can they provide sustainable starts at the MLB level? We won’t know until it happens and it could be this season give the lack of starting pitch depth at the MLB level.
thatdudetg
Dodgers should be calling Texas asking about Josh Smith and/or Ezekiel Duran.
THEY LIVE!!!
Thought you might want Corey Seager back at a discount…
solaris602
Amed Rosario makes the most sense since he’ll be a FA after the season. Not sure what the asking price would be or if CLE would even consider trading him now. Average defender, but he’s durable and consistently productive at the plate.
Old York
Thoughts and prayers to the Dodgers team. Can’t see them recovering from this. Probably end up with a 0-162 record this year. Sorry to hear the bad news…
slider32
Dodgers get IKF and Torres from Yanks for Outman and a pitching prospect in Sheehan.
sax332n86
Outman is starting in CF and has six years of club control. They aren’t trading him to the Yankees as long as they have Vargas to fill in at SS and get by. You don’t have to have deluxe offense from SS to win. The Dodgers were just fortunate enough to get it from Seager and Turner for so many seasons.
mlbdodgerfan2015
Outman is still fighting for a roster spot. Lux going down increases the likelihood he sticks but still not a given. Has to show in spring training that he’s ready. I don’t think they’re putting Vargas at SS. That would be pretty crazy.
websoulsurfer
You are as funny as a Sax throw to 1B. Vargas will be an adventure at 2B, let alone SS.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Web
Vargas is talented, you will see. But I love the reference to Steve Sax throws so I’ll like your post anyway.
slider32
Not sure Outman starts in the outfield for the Dodgers.
lloyd_christmas
Anyone think Gleyber is switching coasts? making the trek by way of an ’84 sheep dog?
mrmackey
Gleyber was a terrible SS. IFK would make more sense.
slider32
Gleyber goes to second and is a 3 WAR player.
Mikenmn
This may not be a popular view, but I do not begrudge players their money. You just never know when fate hits you. He’s pre-arb eligible and going to have an entire year washed out. He’s got significant damage to his knee and he plays a position that requires agility. Hopefully the procedure and the rehab a success
MarlinsFanBase
Unfortunate for the kid.
For the Dodgers, the Rojas trade just paid more dividends.
bobsugar84
Iglesias makes sense but if it wasn’t for a solid month in bean town, his offensive production was horrible last year. And that was in Colorado! His defense was pretty good though and the Dodgers need at least someone else who can play ss, but I feel like Iglesias is basically just Rojas 2.0.
DonnieMoore
Does putting Lux on the IL free up the amount of his salary
websoulsurfer
Donnie. Thats a no.
DonnieMoore
Derek. No the other Derek.
webie0731
What about Nick Madrigal???
This one belongs to the Reds
I’m sure you could deal for Jose Barrero.
We have plenty of other SS to replace him.
stan lee the manly
Paul DeJong Paul DeJong Paul DeJong Paul DeJong. Can I wish that into existence with enough repetition?
SODOMOJO
You know they are extremely pissed about losing Trea now, and I sense a big “overcompensation” move incoming, in response
mrmackey
Hmm if Peraza wins the Yankee SS job then IKF would be available.
kenly0
I don’t see the Dodgers trading for anyone. They have Rojas. Also, have Busch ready for the show. And, Leonard should be up by the end of the season.
websoulsurfer
Rojas is 34 and has a 83 OPS+ the last 2 seasons, 85 over his career. He is a backup at this point in his career, not a starter on a team expected to contend.
Contending teams also don’t rely on 2 rookies to fill the middle of the diamond, so it won’t be Vargas and Busch this season.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Dodgers could use a depth/backup shortstop, like Jose Iglesias on a minors deal or the equivalent.
websoulsurfer
They already have a depth/backup shortstop in Rojas. They need a starter.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
How about Ahmed Rosario via trade?
shanefalco50
Dombrowski should be on the phone to Dodgers and telling them they can make an offer for Josh Harrison. Hold Dodgers for ransom.
Cam
Hold them to ransom for…Josh Harrison? That’ll be a short phone call
Armaments216
We wants the money: Dombrowski. No funny business.
cincinnatikid
Maybe bring Kyle Farmer back from Minnesota. With Correa signed he’s probably available for couple of minor leaguers
BlueSkies_LA
Interesting thought. He’s become a pretty good SS for someone who came up as a catcher. Still, not a lot more appealing than Iglesias, who can probably be had for fewer dollars, and of course no prospects.
THEY LIVE!!!
@cincinnatikid– I had the same thought regarding Farmer. Very under-rated player that plays multiple positions.
nyy42
Yankees IKF
RobM
I’m sure they’ll touch base. They’ll also check in with the O’s on Mateo. There’s also Iglesias still out there. The Dodgers know this is an extensive injury, so they may do something bigger than anything mentioned. They have a deep farm too, so a surprise trade with a more impactful, longer-term return can’t be ruled out.
RobM
About the worst scenario possible for the ’23 season. At least from the Dodgers point of view, it happened early in camp. They have time to at least patch the hole.
Beyond that, feel most sorry for Lux. This was going to be his chance to shine. Wasn’t convinced he was a SS, but he probably could have held it down for the year. Hopefully the extent of the knee injury doesn’t reduce his skills. Not sure how the additional LCL damage will impact his return.
websoulsurfer
Sorry to hear about his injury. Hope he heals well and can return in 2024.
Who will the Dodgers trade for to replace him? They can’t afford to have an unproven rookie at 2B and a no hit veteran at SS.
The Fiend
That’s terrible. Guy finally gets a chance to play everyday and immediately has it taken from him.
angt222
Was looking forward to him having more of an everyday role. Curious if Profar signs with LA to play 2B now.
steveb-2
To paraphrase Henny Youngman–
“Take my Isiah Kiner-Falefa…. PLEASE!”
ham77
Where’s Freddy Galvis these days?
Os fan in PA
Feel bad for the kid. You never want to see this.
andyger63
This is very sad news for Lux.
sacrifice
Dang, that’s a killer
Shrutefarm
They do have some options available to fill in. Rojas is a better defender, so they’ll gain there. But, Lux is the better offensive players, so they’ll lose there. CT3 can play there too, if needed.
Sucks for Lux, but I think LA will overcome this as long as the rotation doesn’t have any major setbacks.
evilroyslade
IKF to LA for a prospect seems like the best move.
Yanks4life22
IFK, DJ, Gleyber or Donaldson….take your pick of 1 -3 of them and pay market rate (which is nothing for 1/2 of that list).
baseballteam
Now that there’s no shift maybe they don’t have to play anyone there.
DarrenDreifortsContract
Hopefully we can bring back Cesar Izturis.
dave frost nhlpa
IKF
orange2001
Dodgers can trade for Andrew Velazquez… I’d take an MLB-ready reliever for him.
PinstripedPride
Cashman, if ever there was a chance to trade IKF, this is it
Yankee Clipper
Think about this though: Boone had the following positional assignments for Detroit v Yankees…
SS – IKF (Second game in a row)
2B – Volpe
3B – Cabrera
Now, on its face it seems to make sense because Volpe will likely be a 2B anyway, especially if Peraza stays on the 26, but… *Volpe is supposed to be the SS of the future, whose currently competing for a job at SS with last year’s “stopgap” IKF.* Thus, why wouldn’t the positional alignment be:
Volpe- SS
IKF – 3B (his natural IF position at which he was GG)
Cabrera – 2B, where he’s played more anyway.
It makes no sense to play TWO players out of position when one of them is your “SS of the future” and the other’s natural position is open anyway….. and he’s not even supposed to be the long-term option, but a stopgap!! Boone intends on starting IKF at SS, imo, and is incapable of making the right choice. He’s waaaaaay too emotive, like a teenage girl.
28rings
IKF and Hicks for some pitching depth?
tigersgm
Baez from detroit?
Braves Butt-Head
Bring in Andrelton and reunite him with Freeman and Heyward
drasco036
The trade I could see the Dodgers making is for Brujan from the Rays.
Javia135
Maybe Ha-seong Kim is still available.
Bright Side
Michael Busch is 25 and MLB ready. He’s a lefty bat. That said, what a horrible injury at a horrible time for Lux. This was his last pre-Arb season.
mlbdodgerfan2015
Busch will get a look in spring training. Some young guys post great numbers right off the bat but most don’t. Takes a few years to ease into MLB. Seager raked right away. Lux has taken a while and this was supposed to be his breakout year.
tbone0816
Cardinals can trade you Paul DeJong
JoelP
I literally came here to suggest the same thing. I doubt St. Louis is willing to cover part of his salary, but it could be a nice get for LA. Incredibly solid defensively and anything they can get from the bat would be a bonus. It’s not like LA’s offense is in dire need of it.
ChrisEnvy76
That is seriously awful. I feel so bad for the guy. I do wonder who they will go and get or if they will wait it out and see what they have that can fill the role.
fre5hwind
Trade Lux to Seattle or Chicago? For Crawford or Andrus?
gcg27
Dodgers need speed. I see a trade with the Orioles for Mateo for young pitcher
gorav114
It makes sense but I think the O’s value Mateo a little higher than his actual value so it might require a bit of an overpay to snag him. The O’s have a decent amount of SS prospects so I do think they would deal him but they highly value his skillset, exceptional defense and speed. He’s such a talented ballplayer that even a small improvement in hit tool makes him all star level
outinleftfield
From the Orioles point of view I can see that being a good trade possibility. Mateo is losing his starting job to Henderson this year.
The Dodgers already have a glove first SS in Rojas. Not sure why they would trade for another but where there is a need things like this happen.
Who are you thinking they would be sending to Baltimore?. Wouldn’t be much. They definitely won’t get a top 100 caliber prospect for Mateo. Maybe a lower level prospects like Frasso or Sheehan that project as relievers? I am just spitballing, because I have no idea what it would take.
gorav114
Henderson is starting the year at 3rd and will likely stay there. It’s Westburg or Ortiz that are next men up for SS
outinleftfield
Elias said at the start of camp that they had not made that decision yet, but he profiles better as a 3B.
MacGromit
Urias or Mateo both work in LA. Both are gold glove caliber, but Urias has some pop and has already shown he is not an offensive liability. That Mateo speed isn’t something you can teach though.
Wonder what LA has in young arms to trade for either (or both if they want)?
MacGromit
Just looked and Mateo is only making $2MM this year and Urias is pre-arb. Wow is the money right on these 2 if LA is trying to go under and set themselves up for a big spend next year after resetting the luxury payroll tax.
Think that they’d have to send a potential starter back though since either/both have so much control. The Orioles have a slew of 4-5 types and bullpen options, what they need desperately is rotation help.
28rings
Sux for Lux…. Cashman: Hicks and IKF for some pitching depth???
Steve Cohen Owns You
Sure, minor league pitching depth. IKF could get some interest but nobody is taking Hicks.
Stormintazz
Willie Adames pack your bags. You are heading to Cali!!!!
andyger63
This is horrible news for Lux. I am very sorry for him.
Mickey Solis
This is a tough loss even though the Dodgers always have the money and depth to cover up injuries. Lux isn’t a star yet but it feels like he has the potential to break out at any moment. The Dodgers are now down both middle infielders from a year ago.
Viveleempireevil
IKF to the Dodgers. In their lineup he will hit .285 and make most of the plays. And he’s only a $6M cap hit.
outinleftfield
You never want to see something like this happen. A meaningless spring training game and his opportunity to see regular playing time at a premier position is gone. The way he tore up that knee he may never have the ability to play SS again. So sad. Hoping he heals well and is back on the field in 2024.
BlueSkies_LA
We’re probably not going to get a lot more medical details (ACL repair or replacement) but either way that’s a nasty injury with a long rehab time. I had a light-moderate ACL sprain that made just walking painful for months. It still hurts sometimes, 20 years later. That ligament doesn’t get enough blood flow to heal.
Silas
That’s a real shame. If you look at the replay he didn’t have to do anything as the throw was nowhere near him. Just human reflexes that made him flinch.
BlueSkies_LA
Yep, the play was behind him and he apparently thought the throw was coming for his head.
THEY LIVE!!!
While this is terrible for Lux I think it’s the best for the Dodgers now. Lux was a below average defender at 2B and never would’ve made it at SS at the big league level. You know the FO knew this by already trading for Rojas. The Dodgers need a more substantial SS than Rojas unless you’re happy with a no-hit decent glove guy there. With the Padres improving and the Dodgers losing Trea Turner the Dodgers need to move on from Lux and upgrade SS. Tommy Edman would be my #1 target.
BlueSkies_LA
The kid gets a really bad break so right away it’s time to throw him overboard? Why do I think that isn’t going to be the move?
THEY LIVE!!!
Finding a better replacement for Lux isn’t “throwing him overboard.”Truth is that Lux was always overrated as the Dodgers typically do with their prospects.
BlueSkies_LA
Trying to walk that one back now are you?
THEY LIVE!!!
No, BlueSkies, not walking back anything..
The Dodgers will try to peddle Lux to another team expecting a huge return. Remember when the Marlins offered Realmuto for Bellinger? All the Dodger fans thought that was ridiculous but here we are a few years later and the Dodgers let Bellinger walk for FREE!!! Meanwhile Realmuto is the undisputed #1 ranked catcher in al of MLB.
Poster formerly known as . . .
If it wasn’t for bad Lux, he wouldn’t have no Lux at all.