The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series but that has not stopped them from making offseason additions.
Their recent signing of Hye-seong Kim from the KBO increased their infielder surplus and put Gavin Lux on the trade block. The New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners have interest, according to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated.
“…the Yankees have shown some interest in a potential trade for Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux. However, sources say the Yankees expressed interest in Lux several weeks ago and the Seattle Mariners have been more aggressive in pursuit of the infielder,” Ragazzo reported.
The Mariners had the second-worst team batting average in baseball last year. Their infield has some solid players but they need a first baseman and could make some defensive adjustments if they landed Lux. With the Astros taking a step back by losing Kyle Tucker and likely Alex Bregman, the AL West could be theirs for the taking.
But the Yankees should be as involved as the Mariners in the Gavin Lux chase. They have Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the team, who could play either third or second base.
Even though second base is his natural position, he could stay at third if they were to bring in a solid second baseman like Lux.
The Yankees need improved defense and Lux would provide that.
Are the Yankees or Mariners a better fit for Gavin Lux?
The Dodgers should trade Lux this offseason, whether it is to the Yankees, Mariners, or someone else. They have a ton of infielders and need a place to ensure Mookie Betts gets in the lineup. Their depth is the strong point of their team but they can also improve their prospect pipeline by trading some of it.
The Yankees would be the best fit for Gavin Lux this offseason. While the two teams did play in the World Series, the Dodgers should not worry about helping New York get better. They need a solid infielder to improve their defense after the embarrassing World Series performance. While Lux is not a great defender, he is an improvement over Gleyber Torres.
While the Mariners could use Lux in their lineup, there are better options to fix their offensive woes. The biggest name of the group is Pete Alonso, the slugging first baseman still available in free agency. While he is likely to go back to the Mets, he would be a great fit for Seattle.
