After a tough road trip that saw the Dodgers go 2-8, the team’s overall energy seemingly had faded away, and finding it seemed difficult. That’s when second baseman Gavin Lux hit a home run against the Mariners and gave life to the Boys in Blue.
Many questioned the Dodgers’ talent after that road trip, and wondered what was going wrong. Pitcher Trevor Bauer even tried funny shenanigans to get the energy of the team up, but it didn’t seem to have much effect.
Then there was the thought that they could turn it around by getting some home cooking started, leading up to the moment when Gavin Lux singlehandedly brought the Dodgers’ offense back to life.
Down 4-3 against the Mariners and looking to avoid a second consecutive loss, Lux had runners on first and second and was up 1-0 in the count against Rafael Montero.
He then put a charge into a fastball that carried into right field and over the wall, promptly filling the stadium with cheers.
As if by magic, the Dodgers offense woke back up and followed his lead, encouraged by the swing that provided the energy they had needed all along.
Go ahead, @TheRealGavinLux! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZzH2d326hC
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) May 12, 2021
Lux Finds His Stride In Everyday role
At the beginning of the season, it was asked who was going to get more playing time, Max Muncy or Lux? That was when the Dodgers had an insane amount of depth and needed to get creative in the way they positioned themselves with the lineup, dependent on who was covering which base.
Despite going through some struggles, Lux found an everyday job whether it was at second base, or at shortstop with the injury to Corey Seager.
Having that kind of pressure to perform for a chance to play might have been the reason for some of Lux’s struggles early on; but he can now relax knowing that he’s a part of the team’s starting squad, allowing him to be himself. That kind of confidence can do wonders for a player and it seems to be paying off for Lux.
He’s slashing .375/.464/.583 in his last seven games (prior to Thursday night’s game) with seven RBIs and four walks, showing that he’s seeing the ball well. He’s also proven that he can be the one to pump up his team with the home run he hit against the Mariners and his first career grand slam against the Diamondbacks, a blast which blew the game wide open.
The more at-bats he sees, the better his approach at the plate will be as he’ll probably be able to draw more walks and find more consistency in his swing.
Getting Hot At The Time
Lux’s home run couldn’t have come at a more important time as the rest of the lineup is seeming to heat up.
Who says chemistry doesn’t exist? Mookie Betts is starting to find his way at the plate, slashing .250/.333/.500 with seven hits and five RBIs in his last seven games.
The rest of the lineup is heating up as well with Muncy slashing .440/.533/.720 with 11 hits, two home runs, and six RBIs in his last seven, and Chris Taylor slashing .350/.480/.600 with seven hits and a home run in the same timeframe.
While things can certainly change from game to game, the energy of the Dodgers’ dugout definitely seems to have changed since Lux has stepped up as their hype man essentially. With the Dodgers going back on the road to face a red-hot Giants team beginning tonight, they’ll need to carry that kind of energy on the road as they are looking up at the Giants, who are trying to get comfortable atop the NL West.
Photo Credit: Los Angeles TimesÂ
Jacob Cisneros is a writer for Dodgers Tailgate. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram @_JacobCisneros.Â
