Right now, it seems like that Gavin Lux kid may end up pretty good someday, no? After all, he broke a Cody Bellinger postseason record in his first postseason at-bat.
It all took place while pinch-hitting in the bottom of the eighth inning against Washington Nationals’ reliever Hunter Strickland. Notably, Lux was 21 years and 314 days old when it happened.
Of course, that is important to take note of because what happened next was Dodgers’ history. Lux hit a Strickland fastball over the wall in right center to put the Dodgers up 5-0. However, that was the swing that put Lux atop the Los Angeles baseball history books in a category.
Now, he is the youngest Dodgers’ player to ever homer in a postseason game.
.@TheRealGavinLux is the youngest @Dodgers player to homer in #postseason history.
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 4, 2019
By the same token, some of you remember when a younger Bellinger homered in game three of the NLDS back in 2017 against Arizona. On that day, Bellinger was 22 years, 88 days old. Therefore, Lux edges Bellinger out by about 138 days give or take.
Via his solo blast in a Gm1 NLDS win vs WSH tonight, Gavin Lux became the youngest player (21 years, 314 days old) to homer in @Dodgers franchise #Postseason history. Prior youngest: Cody Bellinger (22y-88d old in Gm3 of 2017 NLDS vs ARI)
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) October 4, 2019
Accordingly, let’s watch a little history take place once again:
Stage fright for the rook? Nah. pic.twitter.com/5DhnX0pjJM
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 4, 2019
Obviously, this is a really special moment for Lux, Dodger fans, and the organization as a whole. Sometimes in baseball you’re given some things that foreshadow future greatness. Hence when Lux put a perfect stroke on a Strickland upper 90’s heater the first time he stepped on the field in the postseason – I would say it counts as symbolic.
Finally, Lux did it at Chavez Ravine; which definitely has it’s place in a big moment. Let’s be honest – if this happens in some road park – it’s not quite the marquee moment we will all remember it as.
It was the perfect exclamation mark on a complete Los Angeles Dodgers win to begin the postseason. We will always remember Lux’s first postseason homer, which is now Dodgers’ official history.