Dodgers’ Gavin Lux injured in pitching machine mishap

It’s not unusual to hear about a hitter suffering an injury after being hit by a pitch. It’s a bit less common to learn that the pitch was thrown by a pitching machine.

That, however, is what happened to Dodgers utility player Gavin Lux. Lux may not be able to start any of the weekend’s games against the Cincinnati Reds due to a right forearm contusion he suffered when he was hit by a pitch from the pitching machine.

Gavin Lux got hit by a pitching machine, Dave Roberts said. X-rays negative on that right forearm. Won't start tomorrow or Sunday but could be available off the bench. Essentially a contusion.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) September 18, 2021

Pitching machines are usually pretty accurate. It may have been a case of a defective one, or maybe Lux just wasn’t paying enough attention to what was going on around him. Maybe something bizarre happened, as was the case with Matt Joyce several years ago.

Lux is hitting .232 with six home runs in 91 games for the Dodgers this season. No word on how good his numbers are against the pitching machine in question.