Gavin Lux rewards Dave Roberts' patience with some important hits

Dave Roberts wasn't quite ready to bench struggling second baseman Gavin Lux in favor of Kiké Hernández, but Lux was beginning to test the Dodgers manager's patience as his poor form extended into the third week and the playoffs approached.

Lux was one of the best hitters in baseball for seven weeks after the All-Star break, posting a .347 batting average with a 1.043 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, seven home runs, 14 doubles and 21 RBIs in 40 games from July 20 through Sept. 4. But his hitting has been put on ice this month: The left-handed Lux ​​posted a .111 batting average (four for 36) with a .378 OPS, no extra-base hits and three RBIs in 16 games from Sept. 6 through Tuesday night.

Hernández has a .291 batting average with an .855 OPS, four home runs, three doubles and 10 RBIs in 22 games since August 23. Has Roberts considered letting Hernández, a right-handed hitter, face right-handed pitchers more often?

“It's been a rough couple of weeks for Gavin, but I think he's done a great job since he started and I'm going to give him every opportunity to face right-handers in the postseason,” Roberts said before Wednesday night's game against the San Diego Padres.

Gavin Lux overcame a crisis with two hits on Wednesday.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

“I think his attitude has been consistent and it's my job to continue to give him confidence. Having Kiké available in every position is great, but that's not important to me at the moment.”

Roberts' faith in Lux was rewarded Wednesday night when Lux hit a two-out single to center field in the fourth inning to tie the game and then singled in the eighth inning to give the Padres a 4-3 victory that put the Dodgers on the brink of their 11th National League West title in 12 years.

“I try to have a good mindset that I want to be in this position, that I can get a big hit with two outs and not be afraid to mess it up,” Lux said after the Dodgers extended their division lead to three games with four games left to play. “You know, I just want that chance and I'm going to take it.”

“It's a playoff mentality. You have to do whatever it takes to win and compete, you have to forget how bad you feel about technique and just go out there and play baseball.”

The Dodgers trailed 2-1 in the fourth inning when Tommy Edman hit a double to right-center field with two outs. It took Lux two balls before he hit a 95 mph fastball from Dylan Cease to center field and Edman scored to tie the game at 2-2. Shohei Ohtani capped the comeback with a double to right for a 3-2 lead.

“He made me look good tonight,” Roberts said of Lux. “I trust him. I trust all of our guys. Tommy struggled and got a big hit, and Gavin really did a big thing for us tonight.”

Lux missed all of last season after tearing two ligaments in his right knee in a freak baserunning accident in spring training, and he admitted he rested the operated knee when he returned this season. The result was a more hesitant swing and softer contact, leading to a .213 average, a .563 OPS, three home runs, eight doubles and 24 RBIs in 78 games before the All-Star break.

Lux changed his mindset and approach in the week before the break — “I don't think it's a change in my swing. I just try to be more aggressive and when I get a good pitch to hit, I hit well,” he said — and the results showed almost immediately.

Lux was named NL Player of the Week early in the second half and continued to dominate the league until he fell into a deep slump in early September.

“Sometimes you're a little passive when you hit the balls early, there's more swinging and misses and probably a little more chasing,” Roberts said. “I'd like to think there's no loss of confidence.”

Lux didn't think his attacking mentality had diminished, but opposing pitchers began to attack him differently.

“I'm getting a lot of backdoor spin, a lot of changeups and splits,” Lux said. “It's that cat-and-mouse game where you take one thing away and then they move on to what you're not hitting. I was probably too slow to adjust and got caught in the middle. But I think I'm moving in the right direction and have found a game plan and an approach that works.”

Gavin Lux disagrees with referee Andy Fletcher's decision on Wednesday regarding a strike.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Lux, a hitter with a .203 batting average and .555 OPS in 279 at-bats against lefties, had a particularly tough time against them this season, batting .156 with a .402 OPS in 49 at-bats, difficulties that reduced him to a platoon role with Hernández and Chris Taylor.

“Any baseball player would tell you that the longer you're out there, the more you get into a good, consistent rhythm and you get a little better at judging things,” Lux said. “But at the end of the day, I can't make excuses. I have to be better against left-handed hitters if I want to be in the game every day.”

The Dodgers were locked in a bitter division battle with San Diego and Arizona all summer, so Roberts didn't have the luxury of giving Lux more room to play against left-handed hitters.

“It's tough on a hitter when you don't get as many opportunities, but I think we had better options (against left-handers), honestly,” Roberts said. “I think Gavin will hit against left-handers and he'll be an everyday player in the future. But I think his splits this year are more on me because he's not getting opportunities.”