As Gavin Lux continues to shred Triple-A pitching, it isn’t yet clear if the star prospect will make his Dodgers debut in 2019, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register writes. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman simply said “I don’t know” when asked about the possibility of a Lux promotion, as Friedman cited considerations like finding room for Lux on the 40-man roster while juggling the roster status of other players returning from the injured list. “I think more of our mental energy is being spent on how to configure our pitching staff (for the postseason) more than our position players that are doing pretty well,” Friedman said.
Lux entered today’s action hitting an unfathomable .415/.497/.768 over 191 plate appearances for Triple-A Oklahoma City (not to mention “only” a .313/.375/.521 slash line in 291 PA at Double-A before his latest promotion). While he has spent much of his pro career at shortstop, Lux has also seen a lot of action at second base, which would be his logical position both in the event of a September call-up and probably for the future, since Corey Seager isn’t leaving L.A. anytime soon. Then again, the Dodgers’ list of second base candidates is also long — Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez are expected to return from the IL on Tuesday, Jedd Gyorko and Kristopher Negron are utility options, and Max Muncy needs an everyday role if the Dodgers continue to deploy Cody Bellinger at first base. Interestingly, Friedman hinted that Lux could potentially join the Dodgers in a non-roster capacity in September, traveling with the team and learning the ropes of being a big leaguer without actually being on the active roster.
Here’s some more on some of the game’s stars of the future…
- There’s more clarity on a heralded youngster on Los Angeles’ other team, as the Angels currently aren’t planning to call Jo Adell up for his first taste of MLB action in September, Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times tweets. Prospect ranking outlets have Adell as a consensus top-four minor leaguer in the sport, though preseason ankle and hamstring injuries kept him from making his 2019 debut until May 24, and he has only a modest .233/.303/.317 slash line over 67 plate appearances in his first stint at Triple-A. As a result, the Angels look to give Adell more seasoning and some time at winter ball before looking to promote him to the majors. It has been widely speculated that Adell could be an everyday member of the Halos’ outfield as early as Opening Day 2020, as Kole Calhoun is a free agent this offseason.
- Could the Red Sox go with a youth movement at first base next season? Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe wonders if this could be the case, as since Mitch Moreland and Steve Pearce will both be free agents, the Sox could turn to either Michael Chavis or top prospect Bobby Dalbec. Abraham notes that while Chavis has played a lot of second base this season, the keystone is “probably not a long-term position for him,” and thus Chavis could be used at first base, in the outfield, all over the diamond as a super-utility player, or potentially even as an offseason trade chip to add pitching. A fourth-rounder for Boston in the 2016 draft, Dalbec (ranked 92nd on Baseball America’s list of the game’s top 100 prospects) has steadily climbed through the farm system and is now hitting well over his first two weeks at Triple-A. Dalbec was originally drafted as a third baseman, but has increasingly seen more time at first base thanks to Rafael Devers establishing himself at the hot corner for the Sox. While Devers and Xander Bogaerts have the left side of Boston’s infield locked down for the foreseeable future, the right side is much more in flux, between Moreland and Pearce possibly leaving and the continued uncertainty about whether Dustin Pedroia will ever be able to play again. The Red Sox are likely to explore the market for first base and second base options this offseason, and Chavis will certainly be in the conversation at either position, Dalbec could also be an important piece of the team’s puzzle for 2020.
- Orioles left-handed pitching prospect D.L. Hall has been shut down for the season following a left lat strain, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reports (Twitter link). While the injury isn’t considered serious, Hall won’t have enough time to get back before the Orioles’ A-ball affiliate in Frederick completes its season. The 21st overall pick of the 2017 draft, Hall has a 3.46 ERA and 12.9 K/9 over 80 2/3 innings for Frederick this season, though with a troubling 6.0 BB/9. ESPN’s Keith Law ranked Hall 35th in his midseason top-50 prospects list and Baseball America has Hall 38th in their top 100 list, while MLB.com (62) and Fangraphs (63) are just a touch less bullish on his promise.
Sox should try to see what the Royals want for Whit Merrifield. Dude can rake and play multiple positions including outfield. He is signed for three more years at $4 mil per year
Your last sentence about what he makes and for how long should answer your question as to whether the Sox would even get an answer back from the Royals.
Anything the Red Sox could possibly offer for Merrifield at least a dozen other teams could easily match and beat. Unless Dayton Moore believes Dalbec, Chavis, Hernandez, or Casas is a guaranteed future Hall of Famer, don’t expect Merrifield to be in Boston next year.
Then again if you believe Boston is going to shop Mookie Betts then trade wise all bets are off when it comes to the Red Sox.
“Anything the Red Sox could possibly offer for Merrifield at least a dozen other teams could easily match and beat.”
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That’s kind of meaningless, unless the player in question is named Trout. Every team in BB has enough prospects to trade for Merrifield. It’s only a matter of who will pay the most.
And it won’t be the RS.. Merrifield’s career UZR/150 at 2B is only 1.4. Chavis, in almost a meaningless sample size, is still 2.4. Merrifield is a nice little player, but I think KC fans greatly overvalue him. And at age 30.207, he probably should’ve been traded already.
Which is exactly why the Royals will not trade him. Jesus get a clue.
Closest thing I could come up with is Benintendi+
LOL.
Thank you Johnny Superscout
Have to be impressed with LA Dodgers. Stacked with young mlb talent, and still young talent in the pipeline. They always seem to get it right
Now if they could just get it right in October.
LAD seem to get it right recently. Giants have owned that division in the last decade.
Dodgers on way to winning the National League West for the last seven years straight! Do get your facts right! The Giants have not owned the division for the last decade !
Since 2009 the Giants have won three World Series but it seems Dodger fans consider winning the NL West more important.
Since 2009 the Giants have won three World Series
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As a general BB rule, the team that wins the division every single year, owns the division.
You said the Giants owned the division over the last decade! Ok Giants won three World Series but did not rule the division! The Dodgers have ruled the Division the last seven years! Look what your three World Series have got to show now! Not much!
3 world series trophies in a showcase from the last decade? and what have dodgers won? chokers trophies?
I’m not a Giants fan nor a Dodgers fan but I cant believe I’m actually seeing someone say.. ok you won 3 world series in the past decade but have you owned the division??
thanks for making me laugh so hard that it hurts lol
BIG HUGE DEAL!
Which decade was that again?
Like other teams, 0 championships in over thirty years
all outward appearances say Lux should be promoted, but screaming and throwing yourselves from rooftops because of this matter is silly. Lux isnt going to be what tips the world series for LAD. wait until he is ready.
He’s ready, there’s just nowhere to put him everyday at the MLB level yet.
I have a solution. Trade him to the Braves for one of their overrated pitching prospects.
yeah. Soroka and Fried were overrated too, right?
Soroka was never regarded as a top-line starting pitcher, and honestly, unless he learns to miss more bats, he may end up a #2 at best. I always liked and still like Soroka though because he throws strikes.
However, once you go past Soroka, whether you want to refer to the first crop, Newcomb and Faulty or the newer crop, Anderson, Wright….they all have the same problem…WALKS. Hence why I’m admittedly pessimistic.
Regardless, the Braves have no capable catchers available for 2020. Trade for one of the Dodgers receivers.
No pitcher the Braves have is even worth Lux lol
Sadly!
The Braves don’t need Lux anyways. That is why I said they should trade them for one of their catchers.
Two things:
– Lux is clearly too talented for AAA. He’s ready, very ready. There’s just nowhere to put him.
– The fact that a 5 bWAR, 30+ HR guy in Muncy, doesn’t have an everyday role..is absolutely bonkers. The Dodgers depth on the main roster, and in the farm, is just ridiculous.
Hernandez and taylor are at best average players that could be delt for relief pitching in offseason. Lux will be in majors come next year, far too talented to be wasted in minors. Bellinger is great in outfield and muncy fits perfectly at first or utility back up. Keep in mind turner isnt getting any younger and only has like 1/2 more years left on his deal.
Turner is signed through next year.
Know of anybody who is getting any younger? Do tell.
Did either of you offer any legit insight into anything other than to troll? Guess most people cant read these days.
You said, “only like 1/2 more years.” I said how long exactly. Wow, that is some serious trolling there, saying something completely accurate and true.
“Not getting any younger” is a meaningless expression, considering nobody is. I guess that needed explaining too. If you got a problem with any of this you really need to take some deep, slow ones
I’ll go with Mindless on this one. Turner will be 36 by the time his next contract starts, and won’t be cheap. The LAD pipeline is almost sickening (to an outsider), but these guys still need to eventually get paid. I don’t see the LAD paying Turner past this contract. So the 1/2 years is actually 1.2 years.
And signed to the end of next year wasn’t accurate? Interesting. Now, until you said it, nobody had actually posed the question of whether the Dodgers are even going to be interested in retaining Turner beyond next year, though he is a consistent fan favorite and we know he really likes playing for LA. Assuming he holds up physically through the end of his contract he’s probably on a year-to-year deal with any team that signs him. Not many infielders are good for multiyear commitments beyond age 35, not in this free agent environment anyway. The Dodgers will have some options to consider, including moving Seagar to 3B.
I truly hate when people say this as though hey here are these “average players” that teams are willing to give up a major piece for. They are worth more to the Dodgers than alone to try to acquire an average arm. Their value may present itself as a secondary or tertiary piece to a package, but for a pen with all these internal options that are here or especially close, an average arm doesn’t cut it. And it’s not as though there is much needed in that pen.
Secondly Muncy is much more than a utility backup. With that said the Dodgers have no answer at 3rd after Turner, most notably not Muncy. The best internal option would be Hoese, but he’s still not at A+. My question is come offseason when do those discussions occur about the right time to move Turner over to 1st? Because his bat is so substantially important to this team, and defensively he’s taken steps back. Along with age, at some point that question will have to be asked.
You know whats even more annoying when people cant read. Did i not state above that muncy has value at first base AND as a utility player? I went to several games this year in which muncy lined up and 3rd and second and did a fine job. Read before you write.
Rios at 3b?
What is the World Series matchup and who wins?
1. Dodgers vs Astros?
2. Dodgers vs Yankees?
3. Dodgers vs Indians?
4. Dodgers vs Twins?
5. Some other matchup.
Reds vs Athletics.
Mets vs Rays
Red Sox 4 dodgers 2 games in a shocka
Indians in 5 over Dodgers.
This is baseball not basketball. Anything can happen in October, I doubt the dodgers end up making the WS again
Stros in 6 over LAD
Dodgers vs. Yankees – Dodgers in six
In the “foreseeable future” will Sam Travis still exist? Dude has been mashing.
I was coming down here to comment the same thing. They keep yanking him up and sending him down and now that they have given him a real chance this time he is raking. I imagine he has to be their first baseman next year.
They had to send Travis down. He under-performed for years. And it is a little early for the Kool-aid. He has 43 minor league HRs in 1,835 ABs.
Having said that, with all the salary issues we have, I wouldn’t mind a 2020 rotation of Chavis, Travis, Holt/Marco, Vazquez at 1B/2B.
Typical Halos….. Zero direction. The organization is completely lost.
Why would they call Adell up now?
Why would they call Adell up now?
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100% agree. He is 20 year’s old. He has a 574 OPS in the PCL, which is terrible. And a 25/6 K/W with -0- HRs. IMHO, Adell is a May 2021 promotion.
did you read the injuries part or just trolling?
Who are you talking to? And in reference to what issue? Adell’s injuries?
“preseason ankle and hamstring”?
Typical Halos….. Great direction. This organization has its act together! Can’t wait until next year
Sarcasm I hope.
“This organization has its act together!” Please explain to everyone how a team desperate for pitching, has holes everywhere, is hampered financially, has their act together?
angels shouldn’t make the same mistakes as scoscia. he always used only vets to win a few more games at the end of the season. get a top 10 draft pick!
That would be great. Maybe JT Ginn from Mississippi State:)
it’s all about free agent pitchers?
If they have a top 10 pick in two years that would allow them to get Ginn then something is wrong.
Geez, what positions did Bellinger play this weekend?
Center field and first, I believe.
He’s a freak.
Nope, CF and RF.
Guess you’re right, I didn’t watch much baseball this weekend. He played some FB in Miami.
There’s no mystery here about what the Sox will do at 1B and 2B next year. Pearce and Moreland are gone. Yes, there will be a “youth movement” because the club is paying so much for so little in the way of pitching, and it hamstrings what they can do around the diamond. So it will be Dalbec and/or Chavis at first, maybe Travis if they come to believe that his bat has really matured, and Marco Hernandez at 2B. It’s an easy fit for what they have. If JDM walks (seems unlikely), then they keep all three 1B/DH types above, esp. since they can also cover 2B, 3B, and LF in a pinch.
Pretty special guy lux can’t imagine angine getting in. Way. Thy just put him in center and call it geood. Bet he hits good enough. Bet it won’t be a probem.
Kole Calhoun has an option for 2020. So he may not be a free agent.
Dalbec hitting .234 at AA. Prob not getting the call to the bigs anytime soon.
The 110/68 K/W should play well. Average is not the only stat to consider. I’d prefer a little more AAA seasoning, but he still might be able to do a credible job in the pros next year.
If you can only muster a .234 in AA you need to seriously work on your hitting. That is not dominant nor should be applauded or excused because he can talk a walk.
They will give Travis a big shot next year with the ol Righty/Lefty platoon ????. A cheap left handed bat at 1b should be relatively easy to find. Use Bobby/Chavis as possible trade chips as their stock is much higher than Sams(But not for a 1 baseman) 2nd base/ pitching ok . I think the rest of year will tell the Red Sox all they need to and want to know about Sam Travis going forward…..