The loss of Gavin Lux was a tough blow to swallow on several different levels. First, you have to feel horribly for Gavin himself. Lux has worked for several years to put himself in a position to be the starting shortstop for the Dodgers and he was going to get his chance. But, “it is what it is” as they say, so the Dodgers have to move on this year without him, and, as always, they are in good hands.
2023 has been thought of as a year where the Dodgers might have a Youth Movement larger than any year in the recent past. James Outman, Michael Busch, Miguel Vargas, and Jacob Amaya were nipping at the heels of MLB playing time, so when the Dodgers traded Amaya for Rojas, it was a bit of a surprise.
No one truly will ever know the exact extent of what Rojas’s role at shortstop would have been if Lux remained healthy, but we do know now that he will get the bulk of the playing time there.
Rojas has been an elite defender in his career and was in the running for a Gold Glove last year, so the defense will be anywhere from just fine to a fairly large upgrade to anything the club has had in a long time.
But, what about the offense of Rojas?
It is true that Rojas had a rough year last year offensively hitting .236 with an OPS of just .608 with just 6 home runs. But, as recently as 2020 he has hit over .300, and in 2021 he hit .261, and his on-base percentages have been anywhere from good to great in the several years before 2022.
So, the potential is there, and the good part of it is that the Dodgers should have plenty of offense around him with Max Muncy, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and the rest, so the club doesn’t need him to be a great offensive player. All the Dodgers need out of Rojas is something similar, if not even a little less, than what he gave Miami in 2021. Yes, he is 2 years older than he was in 2021, but, he’s also going to be surrounded by a better offense, so he’ll get better pitches to hit.
When the Dodgers traded for Rojas, they knew they were, at the very least, getting insurance for every infield position. The idea at the time surely was to give Lux the first shot at shortstop, but, then, if he didn’t handle it, to slide him back to 2nd and put Rojas there every day.
That plan has proven to be valuable now that Lux is not available.
Without Lux, it looks like Miguel Vargas will get the first shot at 2nd base, and one of the largest contributions that Rojas has made and will continue to make is in mentoring Vargas on the MLB level of the game of baseball. That has already happened, and, even if Rojas didn’t become a major factor on the field, that leadership was worth a lot, IMO.
The Cherry on the top would be if Rojas can continue his elite defense, but then, also, turn in a very good offensive year as well. If that happens, the Dodgers will be one of, if not the best teams in baseball, and so far that has happened.
It’s early, and it’s just Spring Training, but, so far, Rojas is hitting .462 in 13 at-bats has a home run, 3 RBIs, and has posted an OPS of 1.308. He won’t stay on that pace, not anywhere close, but his performance is, at least, giving signs that he is in store for a good offensive year. And, if that happens, the Dodgers will be in good shape.
