Always in a state of tinkering with their roster, the Los Angeles Dodgers parted with a member of the team Monday that had been a core fixture for years.
Starting second baseman Gavin Lux was reportedly dealt to the Cincinnati Reds in a move that surprised many following the ballclub. In exchange for Lux, the Dodgers acquired a competitive balance Round A draft pick and the rights to minor league OF Mike Sirota.
Lux had been with the Dodgers for nearly a decade. The franchise drafted him in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft. As he worked his way through lower levels, there was a time in which he was the best hitter in the entire farm system.
The hit tool didn’t exactly translate to the Big Leagues. Lux has been a career .252 hitter with an OBP of .326 and an OPS of .709. We’ve seen glimpses of the hitter he could be — evidenced by this past year when Lux hit over .300 in the second half of the season.
While not a power guy, Lux is adept at spraying the ball all around the park. He offers Cincinnati some positional flexibility in playing multiple infield spots and some outfield. At only 27 years of age with two more years of team control, getting Lux in a hitter-friendly environment two years removed from a major knee injury should result in career numbers provided he plays consistently.
As for the Dodgers, Sirota was a guy they drafted out of high school four years ago. He opted to attend college, and the multi-tool outfielder had many pegging him with a first-round grade. Ultimately, Cincinnati selected him in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft. He’s said to have plus-athleticism, an above-average arm, and impressive bat speed. LA likes him, and there’s a reason he’s been targeted by the front office on multiple occasions.
The deal opens up a spot on LA’s 40-man roster — presumably earmarked for Enrique Hernandez. With the recent addition of Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim, coupled with current players Mookie Betts, Miguel Rojas, Tommy Edman, and Chris Taylor, Lux was deemed superfluous. It may also signal that Betts could be a stopgap at shortstop rather than the long-term solution. With Lux out of the fold, Betts could ultimately toggle back to second base in the future with multiple highly-touted shortstop prospects currently in LA’s system.
At the same time, an already strong farm system got strengthened by acquiring a high-ceiling centerfielder and a draft pick figuring to land in the top 40 of next year’s draft.
