Chris Taylor is Quietly Having a Really Good Season for the Dodgers
It’s been a weird couple of years for Chris Taylor.
Since his 2021 season that earned the Dodgers’ utility man his first All Star selection — followed by a free agency period that saw him stay put in Los Angeles on a huge four-year, $60 million deal — Taylor has gone from a fan favorite that proved he could play all over the diamond to a player that a good chunk of Dodger fans have some disdain for.
It would seem to be more of the same for CT3 in 2023, as he’s put up a rather paltry slash line of .209/.277/.470 this season.
He’s shown the occasional power that has become a staple of his game with nine home runs, but it’s been a bit of feast or famine for him at the plate.
At least, that’s how it would look on the surface.
Unfortunately for the Dodgers, they still haven’t been able to solve the riddle that is left-handed pitching, an issue that has been a staple for the franchise in recent memory.
One surprising anecdote in that department though? That’d be one Chris Taylor.
For his struggles this year, he’s put up more than impressive numbers against lefties, slashing .275/.321/.745 with 10 extra base hits and 13 RBI to his credit.
In case math isn’t your strong suit, that’s good enough for a 1.067 OPS, certainly making him a formidable opposition for a main problem that the Dodgers face.
Looking at things defensively, he’s put up strong performances both in his more usual left field spot and also at shortstop — and the latter’s been a problem for the Dodgers so far, even to the point where Mookie Betts has filled in there on occasion, and albeit he’s done well for himself.
While things could be better for Taylor at third base, he’s played well enough at other spots defensively to justify him being out there and, against lefties in particular, could honestly be a weapon the Dodgers lineup desperately needs.
Ultimately, it’s everyone’s job on a team no matter the sport to fill a role, and concerning the curious case of Chris Taylor, he’s actually performing better than you might think.
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Ok ok…. I’ll give our boy a break. Keep on, CT3!!
He still is very overrated. Mendoza line hitter at best.
Disdain? Not by me. The disdain comes the FAIR WEATHERED “fans”. If the Dodgers aren’t winning every single game, they complain about everything and pick on the Dodger players.
CT3 is my favorite player. I will not give up nor turn on him. He gives 100% while playing. The FW fans seem to forget the great defensive plays Chris Taylor makes, keeping away runs from the opposing team.
He’s fast and like other teams, a bunt to get on base or advanced a runner is a no brainer. I wish the manager would call for more bunting catching the other team flat-footed.
Go CT3 and go Dodgers!
To the writer of the article, I accidentally typed out my email address wrong. Please don’t delete my post. Here is the correct info. Thanks
He is now hitting .203, this is an absurd article.