3 Dodgers players Max Muncy’s contract extension affects the most

2. Gavin Lux

Don’t worry, Dodgers fans, this is a good one! Remember how we mentioned Trea Turner’s potential extension? Well, what if the decision to bring back Muncy was because the Dodgers aren’t exactly bullish on the speedy shortstop returning after his contract year?

It’s possible! We’ve heard the buzz about Turner reportedly preferring an East Coast team, or one that holds spring training in Florida. So what if he leaves? Maybe the Dodgers go after someone like Dansby Swanson or Xander Bogaerts — not out of the question.

Or how about a promotion for Gavin Lux, who’s witnessed a breakout in 2022 and is quietly one of the most important players on the big-league roster? His bat has reached its potential after falling short of expectations from 2019-2021, and he’s been able to enjoy that promising production while playing second base, shortstop and left field. Impressive!

Most LA fans might agree, however, that they’d rather not see Lux in a utility role. Second base is definitely his strong suit, but he came up as a shortstop and was heralded as the league’s No. 1 overall prospect a few years back while he was holding down the position at Triple-A. Might he be able to handle the full-time position switch after gaining more confidence with his bat?

Lux filling such a void would allow the Dodgers to pursue starting and relief pitching (they’re gonna need a whole lot of it) as well as some outfield help. Muncy being able to grab more of those second base reps, perhaps alongside Chris Taylor, will help a lot, too.