Sawt Falasteen - Dodgers shortstop Lux likely to miss season with torn knee ligament

"Gavin is obviously crushed," Roberts, speaking before a spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds in Arizona, said of the player who will have surgery next week. "It's a huge blow."

It's a big blow for the Dodgers, who had hoped Lux would step in to fill the void left by Trea Turner's departure via free agency.

Lux was hurt in a spring training game against the Padres, his knee buckling as he ran the bases.

"Freak thing," said Lux, who confirmed he was trying to dodge a throw when he got hung up in the dirt.

"In hindsight, probably should have just took the throw to the nose and worn it."

Lux, taken 20th overall in the 2016 draft by the Dodgers, showed significant improvement last year and was deemed ready to take succeed Turner, who signed an 11-year, $300 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Lux played a career-high 129 games last season, batting .276 and leading the National League in triples with seven. He had six home runs and 42 runs batted in.

Turner had been acquired in July 2021 and at the end of that season the Dodgers saw shortstop Corey Seager depart, signing a 10-year, $325 million deal with the Texas Rangers.

N.Awad--SF-PST