Gavin Lux is ready to be a leader in his new clubhouse.
When the Cincinnati Reds acquired the second baseman from the Los Angeles Dodgers, they got a two-time World Series champion and someone who has logged more than 70 at-bats in the postseason.
That kind of experience cannot be found amongst his new teammates. The Reds haven’t won the National League Central since 2012.
“Playoff baseball is a different animal. Everything is under a microscope,” Lux said. “There’s a ton of pressure. Playing in L.A. also is a little bit of a pressure cooker, too. I think I’ve been through quite a bit of ups and downs in my career — injuries, getting sent down, getting brought back up, [changing] positions, all that.
“Hopefully I can be a shoulder for these guys to lean on, because I’ve kind of been through all the ups and downs you can imagine. [It’s] just trying to be a good clubhouse guy.”
The Reds are transforming their club from hiring legendary manager Terry Francona and bringing in new faces like Lux, Cincinnati wants to be a contender. It also means that Lux might have to change positions with Elly De La Cruz at shortstop and Matt McLain expected to return from injury at second base.
President of baseball operations Nick Krall said he was open to seeing Lux at either infield corner despite his lack of experience playing both. Lux has played one big league game at third base and none at first base but he’s willing to give either a try.
“I think if I have enough time and heads-up, I can be ready to play wherever these guys need me to,” Lux said.
The trade also moved Lux closer to home. The Kenosha, Wisc., native will now play in Milwaukee twice. Lux was actually at home celebrating his grandfather’s 91st birthday when he received the news that he had been traded.
“It’s initially a little bit of a shock,” Lux said on Tuesday. “That’s a big deal, a lot going on, but we just said, ‘Whatever, we’re going to enjoy the night and celebrate his birthday and go from there.’ We just kept on going.”
Lux, a left-handed hitter, posted a .251/.320/.383 slash line with 10 home runs, 50 RBIs, and 2.1 bWAR across 139 games for Los Angeles last season, following a missed 2023 campaign due to a torn ACL in his right knee.
In the second half of the 2024 season, he saw significant improvement, hitting .304 with an .899 OPS and seven homers in 61 games.
