Dodgers shortstop Gavin Lux needed to be carted off the diamond in spring training action Monday afternoon in Arizona. He was running from second to third and needed to alter his path to avoid a throw and then stumbled. It looks like Lux might have injured his right ankle, based upon the available replays, but he was also holding his right knee in apparent pain while on the ground.
Here's the footage (warning for the squeamish):
Once the Dodgers reveal his specific injury and prognosis, we'll update this article. For now, we just know it's something in Lux's right leg that required him to be carted off. If we're looking for a sliver of optimism, Lux was putting a little weight on that leg -- a very little, as he was being helped -- as he got onto the cart.
The 25-year-old is set to take over as the everyday shortstop for the Dodgers. It had been Corey Seager's position for a while before he departed via free agency after the 2021 season, at which point Trea Turner slid back to his natural spot. Turner also signed elsewhere this past offseason, so the coast is clear for Lux, assuming this injury doesn't wipe out his entire season.
Lux, a first-round pick out of high school by the Dodgers in 2016, spent most of his time in the minors at shortstop and was at one time considered a top-five prospect in all of baseball. He got 93 starts at second base last season while also playing some left field and a bit of shortstop. In 471 plate appearances, he hit .276/.346/.399 (105 OPS+) with 20 doubles, seven triples, six home runs, 42 RBI, 66 runs, seven stolen bases and 2.5 WAR.
If Lux is to miss any time in the regular season, the Dodgers would likely turn to Miguel Rojas at short and it's possible Chris Taylor might see a little time there, though he spent only one inning all season last year at shortstop.
