Trea Turner's departure to the Philadelphia Phillies is far from ideal for the Los Angeles Dodgers. With that being said, LA has a capable shortstop replacement in Gavin Lux. Lux is obviously not the same caliber of player that Turner is. But could the 25-year old infielder be in store for a big 2023 campaign?
Here are two reasons why Gavin Lux will breakout in 2023 for the Dodgers.
Gavin Lux's encouraging stats
Gavin Lux has seen steady improvement through his tenure in the big leagues. After failing to play in more than 30 games in either of his first two seasons, Lux played in 102 games during the 2021 campaign. In 2022, Lux appeared in 129 games for Los Angeles. He ultimately posted a .276/.346/.399 slash line in 2022. Although Lux only hit 6 home runs, he led the league in triples with a mark of 7.
Lux posted the lowest strikeout rate of his career last season as well. He would benefit from hitting the ball in the air on a more consistent basis. But his ability to get on-base should not be overlooked. It would not be surprising to see Gavin Lux continue to boost his overall statistics in 2023.
Opportunity for the Dodgers
As aforementioned, Gavin Lux's first real season came in 2022. And even then, he only played in 129 games. But he could display All-Star caliber form with a consistent opportunity for the Dodgers.
Playing a premier position such as shortstop in LA will certainly be a challenge. But if he is given the reigns at shortstop, Lux will be in line to produce at a high level. Players tend to perform well when they know exactly what their role is on an everyday basis.
So will Gavin Lux become an All-Star in 2023? It isn't out of the question.
But the Dodgers don't need him to be a superstar. All LA needs from Lux is for him to produce steady results from the bottom of the lineup. Meanwhile, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman will carry the team.
However, it would not be shocking to see Lux officially breakout for the Dodgers during the 2023 season.
*Stats via Baseball Reference.
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