Dave Roberts is already backtracking on Dodgers Opening Day lineup

Entering Spring Training, the Los Angeles Dodgers seemed to have their Opening Day lineup locked in. All of the focus was on guys like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, but the rest of the roster is loaded and seemed to be set in stone.

Gavin Lux, a player who missed all of last season after tearing his ACL made his return and seemed poised to take over as their shortstop. Lux came up through the minors as a shortstop and was finally ready to play every day at the position. Or so we thought.

After the Dodgers repeatedly said Lux was their shortstop and they refused to make a trade for a player like Willy Adames, Dave Roberts is now noncommittal about Lux starting on Opening Day in two weeks amid his struggles this spring. Yikes.

Dodgers starting shortstop unknown with Gavin Lux struggling in the field

Lux struggling is not a major surprise considering the fact that he's coming off a full season on the sidelines, but it's more fair to assume that those struggles would've come at the plate. Hitting MLB pitching is really hard, especially after not seeing it in quite some time. Lux, however, has been solid at the plate, going 8-for-23 to begin his spring with three RBI and three walks drawn in eight games played. Defensively, however, has been another story.

Lux has two errors in the field already, and had another rough game on Wednesday, which was masked by Yoshinobu Yamamoto's struggles. For this Dodgers team, defense is more important than offense from Lux which could lead to his benching.

It's very fair for the Dodgers to rely heavily on Betts, Ohtani, and Freeman to carry the offense. Even guys like Max Muncy, Will Smith, and Teoscar Hernandez should be tremendous contributors as well. All of that offense means they can sacrifice a little bit of it for defense, especially at such an important position like shortstop.

It just so happens that the Dodgers have an outstanding defender at the shortstop position in Miguel Rojas on their roster right now. Rojas is nowhere near the hitter Lux is, but he ranked in the 91st percentile in outs above average according to Baseball Savant last season.

It's not the fun update, but Dodgers fans should not be surprised to see Rojas as their primary shortstop if Lux cannot get going in the field this spring.