Gavin Lux, a popular choice to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award, will not start the season on the active roster. The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Tuesday that they would instead elect him to the minor leagues, a luxury they can afford given the presence of Enrique Hernández and Chris Taylor.
The 22-year-old Lux was the Dodgers’ starting second baseman in the final stretch of last season, hitting .240 / .305 / .400 in 82 plate appearances in September and going 2-for-9 in the Serie de Division of the National League. He was widely projected as a starter for 2020, but the Dodgers described second base as an open competition that dates back to the first version of spring training. Lux showed up late for the summer training portion (he declined to specify the reason) and was somewhat erratic on defense in Monday’s exhibition game.
The Dodgers also signed left-handed reliever Jake McGee, who was released by division rival Colorado Rockies four days earlier. McGee, who played under Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman when they were both with the Tampa Bay Rays, had a 4.78 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP and a 3.04 walk strike ratio with the Rockies. in the last four years. But he kept left-handed hitters opposed to just a .240 / .305 / .400 cut line in 2019.
The teams will deploy 30-man rosters to start the 60-game season, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hopes to lead 15-17 pitchers. With minor league baseball closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Lux will likely work off the team’s alternate site at USC until it is inevitably activated again. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, which could change in many ways after the 2021 season, the Dodgers would delay Lux’s free agency for a year if they wait until sometime in early August to put him on their active roster.
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