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3 Gavin Lux trades Dodgers should consider this offseason

By Adam Weinrib |
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 02: Gavin Lux #9 of the Los Angeles Dodgers calls for the ball on an out of Daulton Varsho #12 of the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on September 02, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 02: Gavin Lux #9 of the Los Angeles Dodgers calls for the ball on an out of Daulton Varsho #12 of the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on September 02, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
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We’re not saying the Dodgers *should* trade Gavin Lux, but if it strikes their fancy, they could entertain these deals this offseason.

Just one year ago, Dodgers super-prospect Gavin Lux was a shoo-in National League Rookie of the Year favorite, on par with his American League counterpart Luis Robert in Chicago.

About that…

The season was shortened to 60 games, Lux barely participated after being shoved off the Opening Day roster, and the honors went to Brewers reliever Devin Williams and Mariners outfielder Kyle Lewis, two completely unexpected candidates.

Lux will still very likely emerge as an infield stud in the coming years, and Dodgers fans shouldn’t be deterred by his .175 average and trio of homers in 63 at-bats as a 22-year-old. But at this moment, he doesn’t have a clear path to 600 at-bats next season if Los Angeles opts to bring back Justin Turner and Kiké Hernández, and we’re not sure exactly how patient both parties are willing to be here.

Holding Lux and banking on a bounce-back is by far the most likely option, but what if the Dodgers opt to win now (er, win even more now) instead? These trades could create a change of scenery and add another superstar or two in Dodger blue.

Francisco Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Francisco Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

3. Gavin Lux in a Francisco Lindor Trade

The Dodgers still might pursue Francisco Lindor this offseason, and Gavin Lux might be a part of it.

Now, obviously, a Francisco Lindor trade is awfully complex, and might result in Corey Seager shuffling over to second base this season and the departure of Justin Turner. You also can’t extend both Seager and Lindor, so, uh, this would get weird.

But that hasn’t stopped the drama from circulating in this direction, and it’d likely take Lux to get it done.

The Dodgers would rather surrender suddenly-redundant infield depth than their top pitching prospects like Josiah Gray, who will be necessary insurance as veterans like Clayton Kershaw and David Price age. Lux would doubtlessly be this deal’s MLB-ready headliner, as Alex Verdugo was last year in LA’s very similar Mookie Betts trade.

For a lower-caliber superstar in Lindor with just one year of control, expect a package like Lux, Bobby Miller (No. 7 prospect), DJ Peters (No. 11), and Devin Mann (No. 19) to get the job done — if, that is, it becomes a job the Dodgers feel like doing.

ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 01: Luis Castillo #58 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 01: Luis Castillo #58 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

2. Gavin Lux to the Reds in a Luis Castillo Package

Could the Dodgers package Gavin Lux to the Reds to bolster their rotation?

Is the rotation a major need for the Dodgers in this very moment? Not particularly; with David Price returning, the unit will be fronted by Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Price, ahead of Julio Urias/Tony Gonsolin/Dustin May.

But is anything really a “major need” for the Dodgers right now? No! So why not try to shore up the area that felt like a relative weakness in the postseason while the offense surged?

Luis Castillo, a supreme changeup artist, is coming off a special 2019 season (226 Ks in 190.1 innings pitched) and an exceptional follow-up 60-gamer. Unfortunately, 2020 may have been the last, best chance for this Reds team to contend — sorry!

With Castillo, Trevor Bauer, and Sonny Gray fronting the rotation, Cincy became the scary team nobody wanted to face in a short series — until they produced a big, fat zero’s worth of offense, swept out of the postseason 1-0 and 5-0 by the Atlanta Braves. Oops!

Now, without Bauer, the team’s offensive woes will only be hit with a cleaner spotlight in 2021. They could, however, surrender the season and reopen their window by dealing Castillo (or Gray, honestly, we’re not picky) for a package headlined by Lux and Josiah Gray/Dustin May, adding a premium up-the-middle bat as well as a pitcher who’ll be rounding into form when their next great season begins.

Castillo is under control all the way through 2023. We’ve heard crazier.

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 26: Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 26: Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

1. Gavin Lux in a Max Scherzer Blockbuster

Could Gavin Lux pry Max Scherzer away from Washington if the Nationals threw in a little something?

Max Scherzer to the Dodgers would be akin to late-career stars teaming up with LeBron James in an effort to maximize their personal ring total, but it would also be…incredibly exciting!

The burden of the final year of Scherzer’s massive deal, encompassing his age-36 season, is falling on a Nationals team that feels pretty far away from contention just a year after their title. Patrick Corbin is still very much available, but Stephen Strasburg succumbed to more injuries in 2020 and isn’t a sure thing. Perhaps the Nats would like to build for the future instead of sitting on Scherzer during an 81-81 season?

Since Scherzer is only controlled for one season, a prospect like Lux would be too hefty an ask. So perhaps Andrew Friedman asks Washington to throw in top infield prospect Carter Kieboom, whose big-league struggles have been similar to Lux’s? Maybe it’s top pitching prospect Cade Cavalli (Washington’s No. 2) instead.

Adding Scherzer would give Los Angeles a jaw-dropping 1-2-3-4 punch next season, and replacing Lux with more prospect capital would be a far-reaching trade for both sides. It won’t happen, but a blogger can dream, right?

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