The Los Angeles Dodgers have perhaps the greatest collection of talent in Major League Baseball, which makes some of their highly skilled players expendable.
One of Los Angeles’ most polarizing young talents is Gavin Lux, whom the Dodgers selected with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2016 MLB draft. Lux has had an up-and-down career thus far. He led the National League in triples in 2022 but then missed the entire 2023 season.
The 26-year-old second baseman is earning a $1.2 million salary right now (arbitration-eligible through 2026), and a new report indicates that Los Angeles could be trading Lux next season.
In an article that listed the one player from each Major League team most likely to be traded next year, Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer chose Lux from the Dodgers.
“He never seemed to actually be on the trade block, but Lux was a popular source for speculation last winter. Which was understandable, as he looked like a change-of-scenery candidate even then,” Rymer said.
“Now? Even more so. He's been healthy this year after missing all of 2023 with a torn ACL, yet he's still nothing close to the star the Dodgers hoped he would become. Trading him to clear the way for a middle infield upgrade would make sense.”
The Dodgers have been hoping for Lux to return to his 2022 ways, when he hit .276 with six home runs, an NL-best seven triples, and 42 RBIs in 129 games.
At the same time, Los Angeles is in World Series-or-bust mode, meaning that patience and player development are not priorities right now.
Unless Lux gets back into a consistent groove this season and into next, the Dodgers will keep viewing him more as a trade piece than as a building block for their future.
More MLB: Dodgers stud hurler listed as player with 'Most to Prove' in new report
