On February 28th, 2023, the Dodgers suffered a major blow as their starting shortstop Gavin Lux was diagnosed with a torn ACL and LCL, which would effectively end his season.
Dodgers Gavin Lux Injured: ACL and LCL Torn
The injury occurred during a game against the Padres when Lux was running the bases and tried to avoid a throw from the third baseman. He stumbled, and his right knee buckled awkwardly after a couple of steps.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts rushed to Lux's aid and immediately recognized that the injury was severe. The team's training staff conducted manual tests, which revealed that Lux had suffered substantial damage to his right knee. It was clear that Lux was in a lot of pain, and he was unable to walk off the field. The Dodgers called for the trainer's cart and took Lux back to the clubhouse, where he underwent further testing.
The MRI results confirmed the worst fears of the Dodgers, as they were informed that they would likely be without their starting shortstop for the rest of the season. Lux had been expected to take over as the team's everyday shortstop after sitting behind Corey Seager and Trea Turner for the past three seasons. He had spent most of the winter working out at Dodger Stadium, putting on nearly 20 pounds of muscle in hopes of gaining arm strength and hitting for more power at the plate.
Lux had drawn rave reviews from his teammates and coach Dino Ebel during the spring training, and Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman had even picked him as his breakout player of the year. However, fate had different plans for the young shortstop.
Conclusion:
The injury left the Dodgers thin at shortstop, and they had been counting on Lux to handle the everyday duties at the position. With Lux out of the picture, Miguel Rojas will be manning most of the innings at shortstop this season, with Chris Taylor and Yonny Hernandez also capable of handling the position. Rojas played 140 games at shortstop with the Marlins last season and is an elite defender at the position, but he doesn't have the same offensive ceiling as Lux.
Rojas, however, remains optimistic and ready to take on the challenge. He went into the offseason thinking he would have to prepare for 162 games and is ready to play shortstop as much as is needed. The Dodgers will miss Lux's presence on the field, but they remain confident in the depth of their roster and the ability of their players to step up and fill the void left by their starting shortstop's injury.
