GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Dodgers started arriving in Arizona a month ago with a set lineup and few roster spots up for grabs.
That might be changing.
After Tuesday’s game during which Gavin Lux made a number of less-than-ideal throws from shortstop, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Lux just needed time to regain his confidence at the position after missing all of 2023 following a knee injury.
Roberts was more non-committal on Wednesday, stepping back from declaring full confidence in Lux.
“Obviously, performance is paramount at this level, and for our team vying to win a championship,” Roberts said when asked about Lux. “So I don’t know what’s going to happen. But I do know that it will be in the vein of whatever gives us the best chance to win.”
Asked directly if Lux would be the shortstop on Opening Day in South Korea, Roberts said, “I don’t know.”The Dodgers have three other options for the position – Miguel Rojas, Kiké Hernandez and Chris Taylor. Rojas and Hernandez are both much better defenders than Lux. Taylor has played more outfield than infield over the past two seasons while recovering from surgery to remove bone chips in his right elbow and dealing with a knee problem last season.
“I think that with the certainty of Miguel Rojas being able to play shortstop, I don’t know how it affects Gavin in terms of playing time,” Roberts said of Rojas, who started 108 games at shortstop for the Dodgers last season. “It’s more of feeling like you have depth at that position that’s dependable.”
Lux offers a great deal more offensive upside than Rojas, but Roberts acknowledged that shortstop is a position where defense is more important.
“I think that’s fair,” Roberts said. “You’re talking about a pitching staff that strikes some guys out but also puts some balls in play. You could argue that shortstop and catcher are the most premium positions, and defense should be a priority.”
Lux declined to speak with reporters before Thursday’s workout.
Though Roberts said Lux is a more mature person and player than he was when he had throwing issues previously, the manager did acknowledge that the rough start defensively in his return from a major knee injury seems to have shaken Lux’s confidence.
“I think a little bit. I think that’s natural,” Roberts said. “In anything, you want to hit the ground running, and when it doesn’t go the way you hoped and prepared for, I think confidence can be shaken. But to be fair, there’s not a player out there who at times their confidence isn’t shaken. It’s about these guys bouncing back from that.”
HUDSON DECISION
After having a second consecutive season cut short by a knee injury, veteran reliever Daniel Hudson re-signed with the Dodgers during the offseason, accepting a minor-league contract that will pay him $2 million if he makes the major-league team (with another $2 million in potential incentives).
Roberts has seen enough to say Hudson will pitch for the Dodgers – at some point this season.
“He’s going to be in our bullpen,” Roberts said earlier this week. “We’ve just got to figure out the buildup because he missed significant time last year. It’s more making sure we have open conversations on where he’s at physically and performance-wise as we start the season.”
But Hudson’s contract also includes an opt-out date next week. If the Dodgers have not given him adequate assurances that he will be on the big-league roster, Hudson can opt out and become a free agent.
“All I know is he’s a big part of what we’re doing at some point,” Roberts said.
BAUER RETURN
Former Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer, the 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner with Cincinnati, will be pitching for an independent team called Asian Breeze. The Phoenix-based group is essentially a travel ball team for players hoping to catch on with professional organizations.
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Bauer spent last season pitching in Japan but has spent the offseason trying to catch on with a major league team. Finding no takers, Bauer has joined the Asian Breeze just in time to return to Camelback Ranch. The Breeze is scheduled to face a group of Dodgers minor leaguers on that side of the complex Sunday and the Breeze announced that Bauer will start for them.
Some Asian Breeze players have professional experience playing in Japan or for minor-league teams in the United States. They typically pay to play for the Breeze.
After winning the 2020 Cy Young Award with the Reds, Bauer became a free agent and signed a three-year, $102 million contract with the Dodgers. He made just 17 starts for them in 2021. When allegations of sexual assault came to light, Bauer was put on administrative leave pending an MLB investigation. He was eventually suspended for 324 games. On appeal, that was reduced to 194 games and he was reinstated in December 2022. The Dodgers almost immediately released him and the 33-year-old Bauer has been unable to find a job in MLB.