Twenty-one-year-old Dodgers middle infielder Gavin Lux has been a major leaguer for exactly one game. That’s it. One nine-inning major league game, albeit a four-hour and six-minute one, in which the Kenosha, WI native and Dodgers first-round draft pick in 2016 out of Indian Trail High School in his home town went 2-for-5 (.400) at the plate and made three flawless (and very good) defensive plays as the Dodgers second baseman.

Twenty-one-year-old Gavin Lux is already in the Dodgers history books.

After being called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday morning and making his major league debut in front of 45,910 excited fans at Dodger Stadium, the left-handed-hitting Lux singled up the middle on the very first major league pitch he saw from Colorado Rockies right-hander Peter Lambert, himself a 22-year-old and a native of nearby San Dimas, CA, in the bottom of the second inning and doubled off of him in the bottom of the third. He also reached base in the bottom of the sixth inning on a fielder’s choice.

That in and of itself is not historical, Dodgers or otherwise. But what is historical is that Lux became the first-ever Dodger to score three or more times in his MLB debut since 1920.

“It was my debut and, obviously, I was nervous,” Lux told reporters after his history-making MLB debut. “First ground ball, first at-bat, OK, weight off my shoulders. I enjoyed it a lot. My first at-bat was a little emotional. Dodgers fans showed me a little love, that was good.”

During that first at-bat, television cameras captured his very excited mother and very emotional teary-eyed father in the stands.

“I saw a video of my first hit and my dad started crying,” said the young Dodgers rookie. “Oh, man, I thought he was the tough guy out of all of them.”

Don’t worry, Gavin, when you become a father, you will understand completely.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was equally excited and impressed with his new (likely) everyday second baseman.

“Up and down the lineup, obviously, initially, everyone’s excited about Gavin making his debut,” Roberts said after the four-hour / 16-9 shellacking of the NL West last-place Rockies. “He showed well tonight, really taking good at-bats and defensively gets off the ball really well, moves really well. And just up and down the lineup, the at-bat quality was really good. It just seemed like a Coors Field game tonight.”

Like a Coors Field game indeed. Between the two teams, there were a combined 29 hits with a remarkable 21 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs – seven by the Dodgers and four by the Rockies.

Dodgers right fielder Joc Pederson and center fielder Chris Taylor each had two home runs on the night and 2019 NL MVP candidate Cody Bellinger slugged his (now) MLB-leading 44th round tipper.

As is usually the case when a player records his first MLB hit, the ball is immediately recovered, authenticated, and immediately given to the player. Asked after the game who Lux was going to give the historic ball to, he didn’t hesitate with his answer.

“Mom and dad, absolutely,” he said emphatically.

Welcome to ‘The Show,’ young man.

Play Ball!

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