Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Thursday that he isn't ready to commit to giving Gavin Lux the starting shortstop position on Opening Day, according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times.
"The No. 1 goal for us is to win baseball games," Roberts said, according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. "So whatever we have to do … whatever we do is going to be in the best interest of winning."
Lux struggled during Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox, uncorking a pair of errant throws that first baseman Freddie Freeman had to dig out of the dirt.
"I’m still trying to feel out my knee and everything and get comfortable with that," Lux said, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. "I haven’t really played defense in a year and a half, so I’m just getting out there and trying to get as many game reps as possible, and I’m working on the back fields and on the minor-league side as much as possible to try to expedite this process."
Lux missed the entire 2023 season after tearing his right ACL while running the bases last spring.
The 26-year-old has made 68 appearances at shortstop during four seasons with the Dodgers.
Roberts could turn to veteran Miguel Rojas at shortstop. The 35-year-old has graded out as an above-average defensive player for the majority of his career.
