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Gavin Lux, Ian Happ Continue to Pile Up Wins in MLB The Show League

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured ColumnistApril 16, 2020

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux during the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Gregory Bull/Associated Press

The race to keep up with Joey Gallo and Bo Bichette in the MLB The Show Players League continued Wednesday.

The Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays sluggers both went 4-0 during competition Tuesday and improved to 8-0 and 7-1, respectively. While Gallo is the only undefeated player representative in the league, Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs, Niko Goodrum of the Detroit Tigers, Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres and Gavin Lux of the Los Angeles Dodgers had the chance to pull even with Bichette with 4-0 performances.

They were four of the 12 players in action Wednesday.

Here is a look at the day's results in the video game league raising $175,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs across the country.

           

Hunter Pence, San Francisco Giants

vs. Luzardo (OAK), 4-0 loss

at Tatis Jr. (SD), 1-0 win

vs. Goodrum (DET), 5-0 loss

at Lux (LAD), 2-0 loss

         

Niko Goodrum, Detroit Tigers

vs. Santana (CLE), 5-2 win

at Luzardo (OAK), 4-3 loss

at Pence (SF), 5-0 win

vs. Tatis Jr. (SD), 9-3 loss

          

Jesus Luzardo, Oakland Athletics

at Pence (SF), 4-0 win

vs. Goodrum (DET), 4-3 win

vs. Lux (LAD), 6-4 loss

at Santana (CLE), 12-1 win

          

Gavin Lux, Los Angeles Dodgers

vs. Tatis Jr. (SD), 4-3 win

at Santana (CLE), 7-1 win

at Luzardo (OAK), 6-4 win

vs. Pence (SF), 2-0 win

          

Fernando Tatis Jr., SD

at Lux (LAD), 4-3 loss

vs. Pence (SF), 1-0 loss

vs. Santana (CLE), 5-2 win

at Goodrum (DET), 9-3 win

          

Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians

at Goodrum (DET), 5-2 loss

vs. Lux (LAD), 7-1 loss

at Tatis Jr. (SD), 5-2 loss

at Hader (MIL) 7-4 loss

vs. Luzardo (OAK), 12-1 loss

          

Josh Hader, Milwaukee Brewers

vs. Dahl (COL), 2-1 win

at Phillips (KC), 2-1 loss

vs. Tucker (PIT), 6-0 loss

at Happ (CHC), 5-0 win

vs. Santana (CLE), 7-4 win

          

Cole Tucker, Pittsburgh Pirates

vs. Giolito (CWS), 7-0 loss

at Dahl (COL), 3-2 loss

at Hader (MIL), 6-0 win

vs. Phillips (KC), 4-3 loss

         

David Dahl, Colorado Rockies

at Hader (MIL), 2-1 loss

vs. Tucker (PIT), 3-2 win

vs. Happ (CHC), 3-1 loss

at Giolito (CWS), 12-0 loss

         

Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs

vs. Phillips (KC), 3-1 win

at Giolito (CWS), 2-1 win

at Dahl (COL), 3-1 win

vs. Hader (MIL), 5-0 loss

          

Brett Phillips, Kansas City Royals

at Happ (CHC), 3-1 loss

vs. Hader (MIL), 2-1 win

vs. Giolito (CWS), 7-3 loss

at Tucker (PIT), 4-3 win

          

Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox

at Tucker (PIT), 7-0 win

vs. Happ (CHC), 2-1 loss

at Phillips (KC), 7-3 win

vs. Dahl (COL), 12-0 win

         

It appeared as if Happ was going to finish Wednesday's slate with a perfect record when he ripped off three straight wins, including a narrow 2-1 victory over crosstown rival Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox.

Then he met virtual Christian Yelich.

Yelich, who was controlled by Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Josh Hader, went deep twice off Happ, including a grand slam. It was all the Brewers needed, meaning Happ is now 6-2 overall and tied with Cincinnati Reds pitcher Amir Garrett atop the National League Central.

Ian Happ @ihapp_1

Another great night of @MLBTheShow 6-2 is a great start!! #GoCubsGo #W

Happ had a better showing than Tatis and Goodrum, who both split their four games.

Tatis struggled inside the National League West with a loss to Hunter Pence of the San Francisco Giants and Lux in a key showdown.

Wednesday belonged to Lux, who went 4-0 with wins over Tatis, Carlos Santana of the Cleveland Indians, Pence and Jesus Luzardo of the Oakland Athletics. It was the one-run win over Tatis that stood out as the showdown for first place in the National League West.

Los Angeles Dodgers @Dodgers

Who got next? 😤 https://t.co/gULoPjaqAW https://t.co/6nUfajXuS9

While the Padres youngster is still just one game behind the Dodgers infielder, it was a swing game in a short season that features just 29 contests for each player until the playoffs. With Gallo and Bichette both in the American League, it appears as if Lux may be the one to beat on the National League side.

He will have a chance to prove himself Thursday against elevated competition when he plays both of them, as well as the 6-2 Tampa Bay Rays controlled by Blake Snell. How Lux holds up against arguably the toughest day of competition anyone will face during the MLB The Show Players League could be a turning point in his season.