Gavin Lux is headed to Cincinnati.
The Reds reached an agreement to trade the former Los Angeles Dodgers infielder on Monday, the teams announced. In exchange, the Dodgers will receive future draft pick and outfield prospect Mike Sirota.
“He’s a guy that has a chance to come in and be in our lineup and lengthen it,” Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said. via ESPN. “We were just able to add a left-handed hitter who hits well against right-handed pitching.”
The Dodgers were reportedly working to find a trade partner for Lux, who has drawn interest from both the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees in recent weeks. The Dodgers signed Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim to a three-year contract earlier this month, and Kim could easily come in and take Lux’s place in the lineup. Mookie Betts is also expected to move to the infield next season, and the team signed Tommy Edman to an extension in November. That left the Dodgers with plenty of options, so moving on from Lux seemed inevitable.
Lux had a .251 batting average with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs, both career highs, last season with the Dodgers. He spent all six of his MLB seasons with the franchise, winning a pair of World Series. Lux had a hit and an RBI in October in the team’s 4-1 victory over the Yankees, which gave the club its eighth World Series title. He missed the 2023 campaign while recovering from a torn ACL.
The 27-year-old will earn more than $2.7 million next season. He will hit free agency after the 2026 season.
The Reds went 77-85 last season and missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. The team fired manager David Bell in September and has since hired Terry Francona to replace him. Lux will join star Elly De La Cruz on Cincinnati’s roster. The Reds also traded second baseman Jonathan India earlier this offseason, so Lux could take over at second base, where he spent most of last season with the Dodgers. The Reds will likely move Lux to see where he fits best. Matt McClain is also expected to be available at second base after missing last season with a shoulder injury.
The pair will try to lead the Reds not only to the playoffs for the first time in half a decade, but also to a postseason series victory, something the franchise hasn’t seen since 1995.