A.J. Pollock is hitting better against right-handed pitching this season (.819 OPS) than Gavin Lux (.769 OPS).

And Pollock is destroying left-handed pitching (.911 OPS), while Lux is downright Joc Pederson-esque (.414 OPS).

Pollock is a streaky hitter — Lux might be as well — and as we’ve learned the hard way, a lot can change while waiting for a player to come off the injured list. But right now, it looks very much like that Lux is going to be the one who will be essentially displaced from the starting lineup when Corey Seager makes his way back to the Dodgers, sometime this month if all goes to plan. 

This doesn’t mean there won’t be a role for Lux on the Dodgers (just as there is for Albert Pujols, Matt Beaty, Zack McKinstry and so on), and it definitely doesn’t mean Lux doesn’t have a future. Lux is still only 23 years old. But with half a season down, it’s tough to argue that he’s a more productive than Pollock, and forget about comparing Lux to Chris Taylor, who is now getting the bulk of the time at second base. It doesn’t help Lux that he’s not setting the world afire defensively, either, negating what might have been an advantage over the 33-year-old Pollock.

After Seager returns and for as long as the Dodgers remain reasonably healthy (at least a day, right?), Lux has no business getting a start against a lefty. Against a righty, Lux would appear to be more of a spot starter if anyone in this regular lineup needs a day off. 

Mookie Betts, RF
Corey Seager, SS*
Justin Turner, 3B
Max Muncy, 1B
Will Smith, C
Cody Bellinger, CF
Chris Taylor, 2B
A.J. Pollock, LF

*By the way, not that it matters a whole lot, but figuring out where Seager is going to bat is going to be an interesting call. I’m not at all convinced Muncy, who is leading the National League in on-base percentage, shouldn’t stay in the No. 2 slot. 

Speculating about Lux vs. Pollock weeks before Seager returns might not have been worth an entire Dodger Thoughts post, considering how rarely I post these days, but I just felt like it was an interesting development. There are flashes of brilliance in Lux, but right now, he’s being outplayed by the veteran who is 10 years older.