Rays wisely grab utility player who would have been perfect fit with Guardians 

While the rest of the baseball world was paying attention to Kyle Tucker signing with the Dodgers on Thursday, the Rays, Angels and Reds quietly pulled off a three-team trade that could end up turning into one of the standout moves of the offseason. 

Even though the Angels arguably got the best player in the deal by acquiring outfielder Josh Lowe from the Rays, Tampa Bay also should feel good about their part of the deal thanks to their acquisition of utilityman Gavin Lux from the Reds alongside minor league pitcher Chris Clark. 

Even though Lux is coming off a bit of a disappointing season with the Reds, he’s a solid veteran utility option who can play all over the diamond and is one of baseball’s best at putting the ball in play. He presented the kind of floor-raising offensive profile the Guardians desperately need. 

Gavin Lux would have been a great fit for the Guardians 

Lux, who turned 28 last November, slashed .269/.350/.374 last season in his lone season with the Reds while mostly playing at second base, third base and left field. 

He’s not the kind of power threat the Guardians need (2024 was the only season of his career with double-digit home runs), but he’s a solid on-base threat who is arguably better than any of the utility options Cleveland currently has in the fold. 

But now Lux will enter 2026 as the top second base option for the Rays, who traded Brandon Lowe to the Pirates in a three-team trade earlier in the offseason. Former Guardians prospect Richie Palacios is also in the fold as a second base option, but Lux should have a leg up given the fact the Rays traded for him and the fact he’s a former top prospect. 

Lux made his MLB debut in 2019 and he entered the 2020 season as the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball per MLB Pipeline.

He played sparingly for the Dodgers that season but earned everyday playing time in 2021 and hit .242 with seven home runs and 46 RBI. His best season came in 2022 when he hit .276 with six home runs and 42 RBI with a National League-leading seven triples. 

He missed all of the 2023 season due to an ACL tear he suffered in spring training, and spent 2024 serving as a utility player for the Dodgers in their run to the World Series before being traded to the Reds. 

Lux is set to make $5.525 million next season before being a free agent for the first time in his career, so this year will likely serve as an audition as to whether the Rays want to keep him around after the season. 

Even though the Rays operate on a shoestring budget, they are one of baseball’s best at maneuvering through free agency and the trade market, and their acquisition of Lux is no exception.