Dodgers News: Gavin Lux 'Well Ahead of Schedule' in Recovery from Knee Surgery

Could Gavin Lux find his way back to the Dodgers in 2023 after all?

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been missing Gavin Lux both on the field and in the dugout since he suffered a knee injury and underwent surgery during spring training. However, there's some good news on the horizon.

Lux recently joined the team during their time in Texas as part of his rehab process. According to an update by Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, the 25-year-old should progress to full weight running shortly. 

Gavin Lux is with the Dodgers in Arlington. Has family in the area and is continuing his rehab from a torn ACL and LCL.

Said he will be able to start running on the field at the end of next week, and could start swinging a bat off a tee in early August.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 22, 2023

For the past few weeks, Lux has been working on a zero gravity treadmill, and the next stage involves running with his body weight added to the equation. 

While Lux expressed his desire to potentially return this season, he remains cautious, acknowledging that rushing back might not be the best course of action. The original timeline projected a full recovery before spring training next year.

He expanded on the idea while working out at Dodger Stadium on Monday, sharing with Bill Plunkett of The OC Register that he was ahead of schedule at this point in his recovery.

He is also considering playing winter ball as a way to get some competitive at-bats after missing a full season of playing time.

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) July 25, 2023

Those limitations would likely go beyond just playing in a knee brace. In all likelihood, he'd be reduced to a bench role at best, mostly as a pinch hitter. Lux playing shortstop at a high level in September is hard to imagine just six months removed from major knee surgery. But as a weapon late in the game, he could be intriguing.

Before a nagging neck injury derailed his season last year, Lux was hitting .293 with a career-high .797 OPS through 130 games.

As the Dodgers battle through the dog days of summer, they'll hold onto that glimmer of hope that he could potentially return for a cameo late in the season and, perhaps, find his way onto the playoff roster.