LOS ANGELES (AP) — Second baseman Gavin Lux was traded from the Dodgers to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, three days after Los Angeles agreed to a $12.5 million, three-year contract with infielder Hyeseong Kim.
Los Angeles received minor league outfielder Mike Sirota, a grand-nephew of Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford, and the Reds’ pick in competitive balance round A of the amateur draft in July, currently No. 37 overall.
Lux had a $1,225,000 salary last year. He is eligible for arbitration this winter and next, then can become a free agent after the 2026 World Series. The 27-year-old was a member of the Dodgers’ World Series championship teams in 2020 and ’24.
He returned last year after missing the 2023 season with a torn right ACL sustained during a spring training game against San Diego that February and was moved from shortstop to second base in 2024 after defensive struggles early in spring training.
Los Angeles plans to use Mookie Betts at shortstop this season. Betts started 61 games at shortstop last year but none after June 16, when he broke his left hand on a pitch from Kansas City’s Dan Altavilla. Betts returned Aug. 12 and primarily played right field. He finished with 12 starts at second base and 42 in right field.
Chris Taylor, Tommy Edman and Betts also are second base options in addition to Kim.
Lux made 117 starts at second last year and batted .251 with 10 homers and 50 RBIs. He has a .252 career average with 28 homers and 155 RBIs in five seasons, all with the Dodgers.
Second baseman Jonathan India, who made 132 starts for the Reds last year, was traded to Kansas City on Nov. 22 with outfielder Joey Wiemer for right-hander Brady Singer.
Sirota was a 16th-round pick of the Dodgers in the 2021 amateur draft, but he didn’t sign and played college ball at Northeastern. He was drafted by the Reds on the third round last summer with the 87th overall pick and signed for an $863,300 bonus.
Earlier Monday, the Reds acquired the contract of right-hander Owen White from the Texas Rangers for cash.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
