Dodgers’ Lux to miss 2023 season with torn ACL

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Gavin Lux will miss the 2023 season with a torn ACL in his right knee.

Manager Dave Roberts said that Lux is “obviously crushed” and that the injury is “a huge blow” to the Dodgers, who were anticipating that the former top prospect would be their starting shortstop this season.

“That’s one of the hardest parts,” Lux said Tuesday, while fighting back tears and leaning on crutches inside the team’s facility in Glendale, Arizona. “I think every baseball player’s dream is to play shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers.”

Roberts told reporters that Lux also suffered damage to his LCL and will undergo surgery March 7.

Lux suffered the injury and was carted off the field Monday after running between second and third base during Los Angeles’ spring game against San Diego. After ducking to avoid a throw, Lux took a couple of steps before his right knee buckled and he stumbled forward and fell to the ground. He said he felt something pop and his leg went numb.

“I tried to duck out of the way of the throw, and I think my cleat got kind of stuck into the ground a little bit and straightened out a little funky, and bowed out,” Lux said. “I kind of rolled up on my ankle, too.

“Freak thing, I don’t even think it’s really avoidable. In hindsight, probably should have just took the throw to the nose and worn it.”

Veteran Miguel Rojas is expected to handle the bulk of the playing time at shortstop, according to Roberts, who also mentioned Chris Taylor as a potential candidate at the position.

Rojas said earlier Tuesday that he is prepared to handle a larger role for the Dodgers but that he feels bad for Lux, who had been “working his ass off to get ready for the season to be the every-day shortstop for this team.”

“He’s a big part of this club,” Rojas told reporters. “I just feel bad for him that he has to go through whatever he’s going to have to go through.”

Lux said he plans to “crush his rehab” and be ready to return in 2024.

“It’s kind of all you can do,” he said.

Lux, 25, is in his fifth year with the Dodgers after being drafted by Los Angeles in 2016. He played a career-high 129 games last season, batting a career-best .276 while leading the National League with seven triples and adding six home runs and 42 RBIs.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.