Dodgers: Dave Roberts Thinks Gavin Lux Is Turning the Corner

Dave Roberts believes Gavin Lux is ready to accept and excel in his role on the team this year.

Baseball's regular season is a marathon, not a sprint, but if it were a spring, Lux won the first hundred meters no problem. The Dodgers former top prospect kicked off LA's rally in the second inning with single up the middle to score both Will Smith and Chris Taylor. LA would end up plating five that innings and take home a 5-3 win.

That wasn't Lux's only highlight in the inning either. The infielder turned utility man went first-to-home on a Mookie Betts double and had a hilarious slide home.

Manager Dave Roberts was much more concerned with Lux's overall performance and not his comical highlight (quote via The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya).

“He’s finally understanding who he is as a baseball player. He’s not trying to be someone he’s not, and when he stays within himself he can do some special things.”

Four plate appearances don't make a career, but they could be a window into what Lux can provide for the bottom of the order. On Friday, Lux didn't look like the career .233 hitter who's struggled more than he's' succeeded at the big league level.

He explained his mental approach in his at-bat that turned the game around for the Dodgers. 

“Control the strike zone, wait out for a good pitch to hit. Yeah, that’s my game for sure. If you look at the guys one through eight in front of me, I don’t have to do a whole lot. I think for me, it’s about being who I am and not trying to do too much like I have in the past.”

Lux appears to have embraced his role and has accepted that, for now, he doesn't need to try to make a highlight play each and every at-bat.

His plate approach is much more vital to the Dodgers than his approaches to the plate.