Dodgers insider details possible ripple effects of Gavin Lux trade for 2025

It felt like high time the Dodgers let go of Gavin Lux by the time they eventually dealt him to the Reds in exchange for a prospect and a draft pick. While it'd be impossible to call Lux a total bust, even if the first half of his season left a lot to be desired, the Dodgers needed either an upgrade at second or more flexibility to accommodate all of the middle infielders on the roster, especially after the addition of Hye-seong Kim.

Now that Lux is gone, the Dodgers' second base situation is fluid. Kim, Miguel Rojas, and Chris Taylor could all spend time there while also taking turns at shortstop, third, or the outfield, in Taylor's case. It would also let the Dodgers shift Mookie Betts over to second in the event that part two of the shortstop experiment fails.

Lux's departure and Kim's signing will cause a few domino effects throughout the existing roster and could mean they bring back fan favorite Kiké Hernández, which would give LA even more options. Jack Harris of The LA Times laid out a lot of the possible avenues the team could go down in 2025.

Gavin Lux's trade opens up new roads for Dodgers roster in 2025

Jim Bowden of The Athletic wrote on Monday that the Dodgers intended to let Kim, [Andy] Pages, and [James] Outman "battle for one starting or platoon spot," but Sonja Chen of MLB.com named Outman as a name to watch as trade piece through the rest of the offseason. Both could end up being true. Outman had a bum 2024, but the Dodgers will probably want to see what he can do during spring training; if it doesn't work out, trades during spring training are far from unheard of.

The Dodgers could also opt to keep things fluid, as Harris asserts. Kim offers more defensive flexibility than Pages, but the latter could also get turns at the plate in the place of Michael Conforto when the lineup is facing lefty pitching. Harris writes that trading Lux could also allow Tommy Edman to bounce around the field more, but that part seems a little more contingent upon whether or not Outman actually works out.

Basically, the Dodgers opened a lot more doors for themselves by trading Lux. Although they won't reap the benefits if the promise he showed in the second half of 2024 continues into 2025, letting him go clarified a lot for the roster.