PEORIA, Ariz. — The Dodgers’ plans to replace Trea Turner at shortstop might have taken a turn Monday afternoon.
Gavin Lux, slated to replace the departed free agent as the Dodgers’ everyday shortstop, stumbled awkwardly while running the bases against the San Diego Padres and suffered an injury to his right knee.
After lying on the ground near third base for several moments, Lux had to be helped to his feet by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and a trainer. He rode in the back of a cart to the visiting clubhouse and later left to undergo an MRI.
“We don’t know anything yet,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said as he left the clubhouse.
Roberts said Lux was “pretty shaken up” after the play and told the trainer that he felt “something pop” in the outside of his knee.
“He heard something pop so obviously, as a player, you’re thinking the worst,” Roberts said. “Our trainers looked at him, I think their trainers looked at him and did some tests manually. But we don’t know a whole lot right now. He’s on his way to get an MRI.
“I think right now we’re just hoping it’s more benign and not anything substantial.”
Lux was on base with his second single of the game in the sixth inning. A walk put runners at first and second with no outs when Luke Williams bounced a ground ball to Padres third baseman Jantzen Witte. Witte threw to second base to start a double play, prompting Lux to veer to his left. He stumbled, fell and tumbled to third base where he rolled over clutching his right knee.
“He was trying to avoid that tag at third base and his knee just gave way,” Roberts said.
“He said he couldn’t move his knee, there was some numbness, which dissipated once he got in here.”
Mookie Betts said he saw Lux in the clubhouse after the play and “in a spot like that, there’s really nothing you can say … just give him a little pat and tell him I’ll call him later on.”
“It’s tough to see,”…
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