Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — Well, I don’t know if ANYBODY had this on their Bingo card a month ago. But, it’s true: Gavin Lux has been named the National League Player of the Week for the first time in his Major League career.
The Dodger second baseman had an impressive performance in the three-gamer against the Red Sox, going 5-for-9 with two home runs, two doubles, and a stolen base, resulting in a .556/1.444/2.000 slash line in the series. And because of the All-Star break, POTW honors can only be based on those three games this time around. Nevertheless, he led the National League with 13 total bases during the short week.
Lux recorded multi-extra base hit games on both Saturday and Sunday, including a triple-shy of the cyle performance on Sunday afternoon.
“Right now there’s more intent with his swing,” said manager Dave Roberts after Sunday’s game. “I think that there was a passivity, a carefulness for a better part of this year. But I think right now, he’s getting loaded, and he’s getting his A-swing off more.”
Lux’s batting average improved from .211 average with a .264/.291/.555 slashline to .225 average with a .276/.333/.609 over the weekend. He has faced challenges this season after missing all of 2023 due to knee surgery but attributes his recent success to being more certain in the batter’s box.
“Baseball’s hard,” Lux said. “I don’t think (the recent power surge) is really like a swing change or anything. I think just trying to be a little more aggressive. When I get a decent pitch to hit, try to put a good swing on it.”
For Lux and the Dodgers, this uptick in production couldn’t have happened at a better time. With the trade deadline looming, the Dodgers might be rethinking their infield plans if they continue to get this sort of performance from their former Number One prospect. He could either be a trade piece to be dangled in front of a contender, or perhaps allow the Dodgers to pursue other bats if he can be counted on for more.
Of course, it’s important we not get too worked up over one series, but the honor is something that has been a long time coming for Lux. Let’s let him enjoy at least that.
This is the fourth time a Dodger has won the NL Player of the Week award this season. Shohei Ohtani has won it twice (April 29-May 5 and June 17–23), and Teoscar Hernández won it for the week of June 4-June 9.
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