Chris Taylor Not a Lock to Make Dodgers Opening Day Roster After Kiké Hernandez Signing
Chris Taylor wants to put a poor 2024 season behind him when he reports to Camelback Ranch to begin spring training this week.
Taylor, a fifth-round pick by the Seattle Mariners in the 2012 MLB Draft out of the University of Virginia, was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 and has been a mainstay with the team since 2017.
While the Dodgers rewarded him after his All-Star-worthy 2021 season with a four-year, $60 million contract, he has not lived up to the hype, outside of that. This is the last season guaranteed in Taylor’s contract but the Dodgers do hold a club option for 2026 worth $12 million.
Now, he is in danger of losing his roster spot for 2025.
The Dodgers signed free agent Hyeseong Kim this offseason and re-signed utility player Kiké Hernández. It’s the latter who could put Taylor out of a job in Los Angeles.
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Hernández is a lock to make the roster just for his postseason performance alone and he is capable of playing the same positions as Taylor defensively which leaves the Virginia native to duke it out with someone younger.
Taylor is expected to battle Andy Pages, who has minor league options remaining, for the final roster spot for the Dodgers during spring training and the 34-year-old veteran has been making the changes necessary to ensure an immediate future with the squad.
“The last few years have not been up to the level I want.” Taylor said last week during an appearance at the Yamaava’ Resort & Casino. “I don’t think that’s anything physical or my age. I think it’s more mechanical. For me, I’m definitely motivated to bounce back and kind of get back to where I was four or five years ago.”
Taylor wants to find the form that earned him his first All-Star selection with the Dodgers in 2021, hitting .254 with 20 home runs, 73 RBIs and 13 steals.
The struggle, last season, was real for Taylor. After batting .170/.281/.263 through 70 games, he did show some progress in September with a .333 batting average and .822 on-base plus slugging percentage in his final 17 games of the year.
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Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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Taylor says his problems these past 3 seasons are not physical but mechanical. What the hell have you been doing these past 3 years. Should have been making the necessary corrections. You’ve had plenty of time and now that you’re going to be a F/A after this season you’re concerned. Time to DFA him.
Agree with your sentiment! CT has underwhelmed the entire length of his current contract, has had plenty of time to “adjust his mechanics,” and there are far better options available. Time for the Dodgers to cut their losses on CT and free up his roster spot for someone who may actually perform well.
I guess it may be a shame to DFA Taylor. He has given us a few thrills. On the other hand, financially he, his kids, and grandkids are set for life. I think that I would be happy to be in his situation. Also, some other team will give him a new contract. Nice place to
be !!!!!!!!
I question the Dodgers mental sanity when they continue to keep Taylor on the rooster, but then do the unthinkable and put him in the lineup.
“…back to where I was four or five years ago.” Good grief. I think that says it all. Comebacks are not uncommon, but from that long ago it is stupid to think it could happen. These last couple of years for the Ds have been about plugging holes in the lineup. Taylor is the last hole.
If CT3 has a good spring, Andy will be optioned. CT3 has that top heavy contract; and I can’t see anyone accepting a trade for him until the trade deadline. The Dodgers do not have a big issue with that size of contract; but I don’t think they will just give him away. Or DFA him. That being said; if another team has a player go down; Friedman should be ready to pounce. We could get a decent prospect that way. Pages is an above average fielder with a strong arm; but he seriously needs to up his game against righties. An interesting note is that Andy batted .046 better than CT3 last year; but had an OBP of only .007 better. At the plate they are a toss-up even though CT3 had the worst batting year since he became a Dodger. On the other side, Andy needs to find a way to hit better against righties. Choke up a bit. Slap the ball or lay down a few bunts. I think the bottom line is that CT3’s days as a Dodger are numbered. His production has declined since the big contract. Andy needs to find a way to push that envelope. He has a high ceiling. Right now, I think it is up to him to step up his game and FORCE Friedman to make that opening day decision.