World Series Champion Gavin Lux Listed as Trade Fit For Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are once again going to be searching for a solution for second base in 2025.
Since the Mariners traded Robinson Cano in December 2018, the organization has looked to answers at second base like Adam Frazier, Kolten Wong and Jorge Polanco, among others.
None of those players ended up sticking around long-term. Seattle reportedly expects the team's No. 2 prospect (according to MLB Pipeline) Cole Young to be the future solution at the position. According to the same reports, he's unlikely to factor into the club's Opening Day roster.
That leaves the Mariners in a very familiar situation: looking for a player to fill the void at second base.
A recent article from the Seattle Times Adam Jude went over possible trade targets Seattle could go after to find their 2025 second baseman. And a recent World Series champion was included in that list.
Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux is coming off the most successful season of his career. He set career highs in games played (139), home runs (10) and RBIs (50). He capped off his career-high season with a championship ring that the Dodgers earned in five games over the New York Yankees.
Jude referred to Lux as "an intriguing option worth exploring for the Mariners." Jude also laid out the reason Lux could be available for Seattle, including his past injury concerns:
Once a much-hyped prospect — years ago, the Dodgers reportedly refused to include him in trade talks with Cleveland for Francisco Lindor — Lux hasn’t lived up to the billing. A torn ACL wiped out his 2023 season; he had an up-and-down season in his return this year, and was the regular second baseman (with a 2.1 bWAR) in the Dodgers’ World Series run this year. The Dodgers plan to move Mookie Betts back to the infield for 2025, which could push Lux out of a job. He’ll be just 27 next season.
Gavin Lux's stats since July 11 (26+ games) after his two-run home run:
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) August 14, 2024
.358 AVG
.424 OBP
.630 SLG
5 HR
20 RBI
12 XBH
1.054 OPS
Lux has raised his season OPS from .542 to .670.
The Dodgers' fully healthy lineup is going to be unstoppable if Lux continues to hit like this. pic.twitter.com/m3MCnTYMLq
Lux is estimated to earn $2.76 million in his second year of arbitration, according to Spotrac, and is under team control for one more season in 2026.
Lux isn't the most eye-popping name that the Mariners could get, but he could be one of the most valuable. If Young is Seattle's long term plan at the position, he'll likely get called up by 2026, if not at some point in 2025.
Lux was a regular starter on a World Series champion and that kind of experience could prove invaluable to Young. And having that kind of player at second base could be invaluable for a franchise still looking to win its first American League pennant.
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