"Performance is paramount" - Dave Roberts uncertain of Gavin Lux's Opening Day start amid Dodgers shortstop's ongoing defensive struggles

While Gavin Lux's return to fitness for the Los Angeles Dodgers during spring training led to the general expectation that he'd resume shortstop duties, manager Dave Roberts said that it has not been decided.

The 26-year-old infielder was supposed to be the Opening Day shortstop for LA last year, but he suffered a season-ending injury just days before. Now, he is finally back in action but some poor defensive performances have Roberts considering his choices.

Gavin Lux was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2016 MLB Draft and went on to make his major league debut with them in the second half of the 2019 season.

Starting as a second baseman, he made the role his in 2022 and finished the season as the NL triples leader. He was expected to become a shortstop the following season but an ACL injury ended his year in February.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has a big job in his hands with the most valuable roster in MLB at his disposal. Every minor decision he makes will be closely scrutinized by the media, fans, and his team on Opening Day.

With less than two weeks remaining until the first game of the season, Roberts said that the shortstop position is still open and no final decisions have been made yet. While Lux was once expected to be the first choice, his recent defensive performances have been poor, to say the least.

“Performance is paramount at this level… I don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Roberts.

Dodgers have plenty of options at shortstop despite Gavin Lux's unconvincing performance

While shortstop Gavin Lux has made his return to fitness, he has not yet tied down the role in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup. A couple of unconvincing displays during spring training have left manager Dave Roberts considering his options, of which he has many.

Miguel Rojas or Kike Hernandez are two options that the Dodgers might use, with Mookie Betts also capable of playing shortstop as he showed earlier in his MLB career.