It¡¯s go-time for Gavin Lux.

The Dodgers know it and so does he.

¡°I think the world of him,¡± Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Tuesday¡¯s 5-3 win over the Reds. ¡°I do think that our expectation is for him to be a really good big league ballplayer for us this year. I think he's past that prospect status and he's had a great camp up to this point.¡±

Lux, who is the frontrunner for the second-base job, came into Tuesday¡¯s matchup with five hits in his first 11 at-bats. He finished 1-for-3 against the Reds, including an opposite-field single down the third-base line that drove in Justin Turner to put the Dodgers ahead, 4-0, in the third.

¡°Getting some results early on is always good and helps you kind of just relax and be a little more comfortable,¡± Lux said. ¡°But like I said, it's not the most important thing right now ... just getting out there and then getting at-bats.¡±

Lux¡¯s story is familiar by now. He lived up to the billing as the club¡¯s top prospect in 2019 by sporting a batting average of .392 in 49 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City. He also slashed .240/.305/.400 in 23 games for the Dodgers that year.

Then came 2020. Lux had 11 hits in 63 at-bats over 19 games. He hit three home runs, drove in eight and struck out 19 times.

¡°It¡¯s in the past, and I'm not thinking about it,¡± Lux said. ¡°But it was a learning experience. It's probably a good thing my career struggles were early on so I can learn how to deal with it, learn how to deal with failure. I think it was a good thing, honestly.¡±

Lux spent the winter in Los Angeles working out and preparing for the season. He saw family and friends and said the ¡°mental reset helped a lot.¡± As for where he will play in 2021, the 23-year-old said he doesn¡¯t have a clue.

¡°I'm just trying to go out and play and help the team win any way possible,¡± he said. ¡°Whatever the role ends up being, that's what it is. I'm just going out and playing and kind of letting the rest just take care of itself.¡±

Nelson cruises
Jimmy Nelson is giving the Dodgers plenty to consider this spring.

Nelson retired all six batters he faced in two innings. He needed only 20 pitches.

¡°I can do anything,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll do any role they want me to do. I don¡¯t think it will be an issue physically. I just want to pitch and help us win.¡±

Roberts said Nelson's fastball command "was really good."

"The breaking ball, he was striking it and shortening it. The velocity was there," Roberts said. "It was really encouraging. I just think he's in a good spot."

Nelson, who missed the 2020 season due to back surgery, is in competition for a spot in the rotation and the Dodgers are stretching him out as a starter. But he could be a better fit as a multi-inning reliever to start, especially with relievers Brusdar Graterol and Joe Kelly still on the mend. Among Nelson¡¯s competition for a spot in the bullpen is Dennis Santana.

¡°I¡¯ve been feeling good, and I was feeling really good coming into Spring Training with my offseason bullpens and all of my work,¡± Nelson said. ¡°I¡¯m just continuing from that and it¡¯s step by step. The body is bouncing back well and physically, I¡¯m feeling really good.¡±

Given Nelson¡¯s recent history, the Dodgers will play close attention to how his body will respond in the days that follow.

¡°Last year, after an outing or a 'pen, he didn't respond well,¡± Roberts said. ¡°Our expectation is that he'll come out feeling good, and we continue to build him up.¡±

Worth noting
? Cody Bellinger will take live at-bats Wednesday and remains on track to make his Cactus League debut around March 15. He¡¯ll likely play a few games at designated hitter before seeing action in the field. Bellinger is rehabbing from arthroscopic labrum surgery he underwent on his right shoulder in November.

? Catcher Keibert Ruiz is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut this week, Roberts said. His arrival to camp was delayed because of a visa issue.