Gavin Lux’s injury was as brutal as it looked.

The shortstop was carted off the field during a Dodgers’ spring training game on Monday and an MRI exam revealed Tuesday that he suffered a torn ACL that will cost him the entire 2023 season.

The injury occurred when Lux took a misstep trying to avoid a throw in a game against the Padres. Lux’s right knee appeared to bend the opposite way.

In his absence, the Dodgers expect to send out 23-year-old Miguel Vargas, the 41st-best prospect in all of baseball, in his place. Evaluators have heralded the young phenom’s size and athleticism, which should help him be a plus-hitter in the big leagues.

Lux was set to be the long-term answer at shortstop after a star-studded rotation the past four seasons. The Dodgers have lost three elite-level shortstops in recent years: Trea Turner, Manny Machado, and Corey Seager.

Turner departed in free agency last season, joining the Philadelphia Phillies on a massive $300 million contract. In comparison, Machado left in 2018 and recently signed a $350 million extension with the San Diego Padres. In 2021, Seager departed from Los Angeles and joined the Rangers on a $325 million contract.

While Lux is not yet at the level of those players, he was still a breakout candidate this season. He played 129 games with a .276 average in 2022 and was projected to have a solid 2.8 WAR in 2023.

Still, the team is loaded with young talent, including seven in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list—this season.