Dodgers Interview: Gavin Lux on coming back to L.A. and what October feels like
LOS ANGELES — A year after lifting the trophy with the team that drafted him, Gavin Lux is back at Dodger Stadium in the other dugout. He has already returned once in the regular season, but this week is different. It is the Wild Card. It is loud. And it is personal history on the same field where he played his first postseason games and hit the game-tying sacrifice fly in last year’s clincher.
Lux didn’t try to dress it up. “I kind of got that (the emotions) out of the way on the first trip here,” he said. “Being here, playing a lot of playoff games here, I’m excited. It’s a great environment. This place is going to be rocking. It’ll be a good experience for a lot of guys who haven’t experienced this yet. We’re excited to go to war with the guys we’ve got.”
He was asked about the danger of a six seed that just clinched and rolls straight into October. “We were kind of already in playoff mode the last two or three weeks, where every game we felt like we needed to win. It’s whoever gets hot. The playoffs are a crapshoot. Anyone can beat anyone on any given night. We’ve been playing do-or-die baseball for what feels like the last month or two. We can use that to our advantage.”
On Terry Francona’s imprint, Lux sounded like a player who bought in early. “You really feel like he genuinely cares about everybody and wants to see us succeed. It’s infectious. He has great energy every day and all he talks about is wanting to win. He knows what it takes to win at this time of year. Being with him for a full season, he’s a winner. That’s all he wants to do. That’s all he talks about. He set that culture from day one in spring training.”
He credited the front office for deadline help and the ripple effects around the roster. “They did a great job on all three guys we acquired. Miggy (Adujar) like he hasn’t gotten out since we acquired him. (Zach) Littel has been a huge piece who throws seven innings pretty much every time, and that let us push Nick Martinez into a high-leverage role out of the pen. And Ke’Bryan Hayes is one of the best defenders in baseball and takes quality at-bats. We wouldn’t be here if they don’t make those moves.
Lux knows both dugouts will bring experience. He sees common ground between Francona and Dave Roberts. “They’re similar and different in ways. Both are really good at building close, winning cultures, setting that standard from day one that the goal is to win a World Series and as many games as possible. Personalities are a little different, but the big thing is how they build that culture and set the standard.”
On what to take from the six regular-season meetings with the Dodgers, Lux pointed to growth. “They caught us at a bad time. We were struggling and didn’t really score. We’re a totally different team now. They’re really talented and they won’t beat themselves, so we have to play clean baseball and be ready from the first pitch. We’ve got momentum from the last couple weeks and we’ve been in do-or-die mode for over a month.”
Lux has advice for first-timers who are about to feel a postseason crowd shake under their feet. “Playoff baseball’s fun. There are great players who’ve never had the opportunity. Any time you take the field for these big games you have to enjoy it and take it in. My first playoffs, Justin Turner told me, try to have that feeling like when you’ve got four hits and you’re walking up for your fifth. House money. No one can get me out right now. Try to go up there with that feeling every at-bat.”
And the color on his back. “I spent a decade here. I’m grateful for everything they did for me. I’m ready to get out there and try to kick their, you know, whats.”
From the Dodgers’ side, there is respect for the ring he won here and for the way he carries himself. From Lux’s side, there is a belief that a six seed can ride a wave if it plays clean and stays hot. Now the talking stops. Same yard, new stakes.
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