Tale of the tape: Gavin Lux feeling better after crashing into the wall

Gavin Lux is feeling better than expected after suffering a neck stinger while crashing into the wall in centerfield on Wednesday. Which made for a humorous moment before Thursday’s game at Dodger Stadium.

Lux isn’t in the Dodgers starting lineup on Thursday against the Padres, but could see action off the bench in the series finale.

“He’s sore, but in a much better spot than we would have hoped or expected,” manager Dave Roberts said. “As far as availability, I would say to run, or potentially take an at-bat late.”

Lux crashed into the wall in the sixth inning on Wednesday, trying to corral what ended up an RBI triple for Wil Myers. Lux had to exit the game, and though he was holding his right shoulder while walking off the field, his diagnosis after manual testing was only a neck stinger, which served as good news after the game.

That Lux is feeling better could have been expected, given the ribbing he received from teammates, who put a tape outline of Lux on the centerfield wall.

It’s a pretty good tape outline, all things considered. For the most part, Lux’s height is accurate, or at least close enough while using a proxy, and they got the right spot on the wall.

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The Dodgers carried the bit into the game as well, with all three outfielders paying respects to the body outline on the wall in the first inning.

AJ Pollock is back in the lineup, starting in left field for the third straight day, his longest stretch since returning last week from a Grade 2 hamstring strain.

Pollock homered twice in Wednesday’s win, and has a hit in all five starts, 7-for-18 (.389/.500/1.000) since his activation. More importantly, his hamstring is holding up.

“When we didn’t have him, you could see the middle to the back end sort of curtailed,” Roberts said. “Having him sixth or seventh, it just adds to the relentlessness of the lineup. He’s having a tremendous season.”