Q. I know you've been back here already during the regular season. Is it weird being back now for the playoffs (indiscernible) how do you feel being back in the postseason?
GAVIN LUX: I think I got that out of the way on the first trip here. But being here, playing a lot of playoff games here, I'm excited. It's a great environment.
This place is going to be rocking. So I think it will be a good experience and then a lot of fun for a lot of guys who haven't experienced this yet. And I'm just excited to kind of go to war here with the guys we've got.
Q. I think you were here in '23 when the Diamondbacks were the six seed and went all the way in the World Series. How dangerous can a six seed be when you're just coming right off the regular season having just clinched yesterday and going right in (indiscernible)?
GAVIN LUX: I was hurt that whole year, but just seeing it, I think we were kind of playing do-or-die, survival games pretty much every game leading up, like you said, into the last game of the year.
So we were kind of already in playoff mode the last two, three weeks where every game we needed to kind of feel -- or we felt like we needed to win.
It's whoever gets hot and the playoffs are a crapshoot. So I think you just never know. Anyone can beat anyone on any given night. And, like I said, we've been playing do-or-die baseball now for what feels like the last month or two. I think we can use that to our advantage.
Q. What stood out to you in your first year playing under Terry Francona? How do you think maybe he helped you manage this last month?
GAVIN LUX: I think you really feel like he genuinely cares about everybody and he wants to see us all succeed. And it's really infectious. He just has that kind of great energy every single day and all he talks about is wanting to win. I think that rubs off on everybody.
This guy is a Hall of Fame manager for a reason. I don't know how many playoff games he's won. It's probably pretty more than any active manager. I don't know if that's true or not. It probably is.
But he knows what it takes to win at this time of year. And I think just being with him for a full season, he's a winner. That's all he wants to do. That's all he talks about. He kind of set that culture from day one at Spring Training.
Q. Piggybacking off the trade deadline, what they did to those three guys, how did they kind of fit in? And how did that change the team and help you guys get here?
GAVIN LUX: Oh, man, I think the front office did a great job on all three guys we acquired. Miggy, it feels like he hasn't gotten out since we acquired him. I don't know, he's probably hitting .400 since the trade deadline.
And obviously Littell, who has kind of been a huge piece, he goes out and he throws seven innings pretty much every time he starts. That allowed us to push Nick Martinez into a high leverage roll out in the pen, which has been huge.
And obviously Ky'Bryan, who is obviously one of the best defensive third basemen in baseball -- he is the best defensive third basemen in baseball, and he's a winner as well. He takes quality at-bats.
And I think they did a really good job on all three guys. And we wouldn't be here if they don't make those moves.
Q. I was going to ask a follow-up to the previous question. You were talking about Tito, but (indiscernible) the other manager. He's had a ton of experience in winning too. How do you compare the two?
GAVIN LUX: I think they're similar and different in ways. They're both really good at building cultures, winning cultures, setting that standard from day one that that is the one goal that we all are here for, it's to try to win a World Series and win as many games as possible and get as good as we can. In that way, they're very, very similar.
And their personalities are definitely a little different but also similar in some ways as well. But I think the big thing that stands out is how they both are really good at building that winning culture and setting that standard from day one of Spring Training.
Q. The Dodgers obviously took the season series off you guys. That's not going to be totally relevant this week, but I just wondered what from those six games would you kind of like to see yourself and your teammates pull from those six games and kind of apply here in the postseason?
GAVIN LUX: I think the last time we played them, I think they caught us at a bad time. We were struggling, we didn't score a lot of runs. We kind of struggled offensively.
I think we're a totally different team now. The last six weeks, I think. So I think obviously they're really good. They're really talented. They're not going to beat themselves. We've got to play clean baseball and show up ready to rock from the first pitch.
But I think we're a totally different team now than we saw them in, what, was it August -- about six weeks ago, whatever it was. So I think we're a totally different team now. And I think we've got some momentum going over the last couple of weeks. It would take (indiscernible) good teams. We've been in that do-or-die mode now for over a month.
Q. You've obviously gone through the transition of trying to go from an infielder to an outfielder. How do you think Noelvi Marte has handled that? And did you have any advice for him before making that transition?
GAVIN LUX: He's been incredible. It's not an easy adjustment at all. For him to be willing to do it and not complain about it and not have any excuses, obviously he can really, really, really hit and he's uber talented and he's going to be really, really good out there. We've already seen him make incredible plays and incredible throws, and this guy has only been playing out there for two, three months, which is really impressive. I think I didn't really have any crazy advice for him. Only thing is try to make the plays you're supposed to, don't put too much pressure on yourself.
It's hard enough to try to learn a new position on the fly and in the big leagues to do it. He's been really impressive and people forget he's only 23 years old and his best days are still ahead of him.
And I think I was sitting next to Noel watching him take an at-bat where he worked a 10-, 11-pitch at-bat and ended up getting a hit the other way.
This might not be a bold prediction, but knowing well he's going to be an All-Star next year, right fielder. The strides he's taken this year, he's grown up and he's just been really fun to be around every day in the clubhouse.
Q. There are a lot of guys in the lineup that haven't been in this situation before. You have. What have you learned on how to handle this type of a moment that maybe can help some of these guys?
GAVIN LUX: Playoff baseball is fun. You've got to take it for what it is. There's a lot of really, really great players who have never had the opportunity to play in the postseason. Anytime you get to take the field out there for these big, meaningful games, you've just got to enjoy it mentally and take it in.
But I think my first playoffs, Justin Turner told me, you know that feeling when you've got four hits you're walking up there for your fifth one, it's like you're playing with house money. You've got that really good feeling that no one can get me out right now.
And I think you try to go up there with that feeling every at-bat and just enjoy it. This is the fun part of baseball. Not a lot of guys get to experience this. Just take it in and enjoy it.
Q. Does it feel weird sitting in here wearing red?
GAVIN LUX: No. I think I've kind of gotten past all that. Obviously I spent a decade here in this org. Really grateful for everything they did for me. But no, I think I'm ready to get out there and try to kick their you-know-whats.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports