With his third club, Gavin Lux is ‘home’ again

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The journey is never easy and seems constantly filled with uncertainties and improbabilities.

When Gavin Lux was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round in 2016 (20^th overall), he was considered the second baseman of the future. Eventually, Lux was inserted into the L. A. lineup at second to start the 2019 season but appeared in just 22 games at that position. Since, he moved to the outfield, as well as DH and sustained various injuries, including knee, hamstring, back, and wrist.

All of which necessitated the Dodgers to rethink their commitment of Lux at second base. To maximize the organization’s use of a first-round pick, Lux was moved to the outfield. That’s where he languished and appeared lost.

When the Dodgers eventually traded Lux to Cincinnati before the 2025 season, there was little role or expectation. In appearing in 140 games last season for the Reds, Lux was inserted as the DH for 59 games, played 54 games in left field, 17 games at second base, and six games at third.

When the Tampa Bay did not offer a contract to Brandon Lowe, the reigning second baseman, it created a vacancy at second base. The Rays moved immediately to address that opening and acquired Lux in a three-team deal on Jan. 16 earlier this year.

Now, the expectation is for Lux, a 28-year-old out of Kenosha, Wisc, to resume playing his original position at second base and retain a comfort level as a catalyst for greater production. For his six years at the major league level, Lux comes into the 2026 season with a career .256 batting average, including 33 home runs and 208 RBIs.

“Last year, I played several games in the outfield and that was basically new to me,” Lux said in the Rays’ clubhouse this spring. “Getting back on the dirt is great. When I found out about the trade, I was really excited about the future. Second base is comfortable for me and that’s where I played basically my entire life. Last year was a struggle for me in left field and, like I said, look forward to getting back on the dirt.”

Most importantly, he was a member of the 2024 World Series-winning Dodgers, and the kind of experience and environment Lux explained can be influential on his new Rays teammates.

For Lux, it’s now a question of durability.

With a hospital-chart of injuries and ailments, the key to remaining healthy and productive. If that happens, the Rays could expect the left-handed hitting Lux to appear in about 130-140 games, retain a batting average around .260, slam nine to 15 homers and RBI production in the mid-50s.

More importantly, the addition of Lux gives manager Kevin Cash flexibility. One who always looks for match-ups, Cash could move the right-hitting Ben Williamson, acquired from Seattle as part of a three-team, on Feb. 2 of this year, into a platoon situation with Lux at second base..

In games through March 17, Williamson was hitting .371 and has turned heads in the Rays camp. After a 3-2 defeat to the Yankees at home against the New York Yankees on March 17, Cash noted his club is always looking for flexibility and versatility. Williamson appears to be the main candidate.

“Potentially, he can bring a lot of value to our club,” Cash said of Williamson. “We appreciate versatility. I think we appreciate versatility in this organization. (Williamson) has shown that he has proven to himself and to us that he can handle second base without a ton of experience. He has swung the bat well and has a few home runs. He hits the ball hard, and he’s had a good spring.”

In addition, Willaimson can spot Taylor Walls at short, Junior Caminero at third and, if called upon, to DH.

On the diamond …With a pair in the ninth, the New York Yankees dropped the Rays 3-2 before a sellout crowd of 6,285 at Charlotte Sports Park on St. Patrick’s Day. The defeat dropped Tampa Bay to 8-15-1 and the Yankees improved to 14-9. Penciled in as the fourth starter in the Tampa Bay rotation, right-hander Ryan Pepiot delivered an efficient, 76-pitch, five-inning effort and declared himself ready for the season. “I’m excited to get things going,” he said after that Yankees outing on March 17. “There are several things that go into a season and away from the field. You get to go out with your teammates, on the bus, on the plane, and there’s a lot of team-building and camaraderie.”   

Elsewhere … After announcing a site in the Tampa area for their new ballpark, the initial cost overrun encountered by the Tampa Bay Rays surfaced. According to a report in the Tampa Bay Times, the roof of the proposed $2.3 billion stadium has a cost overrun of $300 million. In an internal report acquired by The Times and disclosed, the proposed roof will be heavier but could be susceptible to severe conditions, like significant rain and hurricanes. Part of the Rays’ agreement to build their stadium at the present site of Hillsborough College and across the street from Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL Buccaneers, is the commitment to cover cost overruns. Given the recent experience at Tropicana Field, in which the roof was destroyed during Hurricane Milton in Oct, 2024, the Rays appear to take every precaution and assure the stadium in general and the roof, in particular, will endure as a stable and secure structure.

The post With his third club, Gavin Lux is ‘home’ again first appeared on Through The Fence Baseball.

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