Los Angeles Dodgers optioning Gavin Lux not a surprise
It may seem surprising that the Los Angeles Dodgers optioned Gavin Lux to their alternate training site, but that really should not be the case.
The expectation was that Gavin Lux would be a part of the Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day roster, potentially in the starting lineup as their second baseman. A consensus top five prospect, Lux seemingly had nothing left to prove in the minors, and showed well during his September callup. His time was set to begin.
But…not so fast. The Dodgers have decided to option the talented youngster to their alternate training site, taking him out of consideration for the Opening Day roster.
The Dodgers announced that they’ve optioned Gavin Lux. He won’t be on the opening day roster.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) July 21, 2020
Chances are, Lux will not be out of the lineup for long. Once the calendar flips to August, and he has “worked on some things” as the story will likely go, he will be back in the majors. Of course, those 28 days of service time, and the allure of an extra year of control, go a long way into this decision.
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The Dodgers can justify this move beyond service time. Lux had been absent from summer camp for undisclosed reasons, having just recently returned. With Opening Day around the corner, Lux may not have time to get back into game shape. It may not take long for that to change, but with each game being even more important, the Dodgers cannot afford to waste time in getting him up to speed.
Lux has nothing left to prove regarding his readiness for the majors. He annihilated minor league pitching, posting a .347/.421/.607 batting line with 25 homers and 26 doubles in 523 plate appearances between AA and AAA. He also fared reasonably well in the majors, with a .240/.305/.400 batting line with four doubles and two homers over 82 plate appearances.
At this point, the time should be now for Lux. But that absence, coupled with the Dodgers unspoken desire to have an additional year of service time for their talented prospect, has pushed his time back just a bit longer.
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Gavin Lux will be back for the Los Angeles Dodgers. His time will come right about when the calendar flips to August.