Chris Taylor was a building block of this dynastic run for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and when he returned to Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night, it felt a bit like coming home.
Taylor, who was set to throw the first pitch, told Dodgers Nation’s Ava Brand and other reporters that he thinks of himself first and foremost as a Dodger, which makes sense.
After all, he spent parts of 10 of his 12 seasons with the Boys in Blue.
While he may have started as a Seattle Mariner and ended as an LA Angel, his best years, including his All-Star season in 2021, involved home games at Dodger Stadium.
“Over 90% of my career was in Dodger Blue,” he said. “This is the place I call home and always proud to be a Dodger. This night means a lot to me that they would even do this for me, so I’m extremely humbled.”
Celebrating a championship
Dodgers die-hards know as well that even if Taylor wasn’t with the team for the 2025 World Series, he still played a role in the team’s success.
He was on the team for the first month and a half before he was released, and he fittingly was given his World Series ring by his teammates and friends before Wednesday’s game.
Max Muncy, Freddie Freeman, Kiké Hernandez, Mookie Betts and others presented him with his ring, took photos and soaked up the moment with their brother in arms.
“I keep in touch with most of my teammates, honestly,” he said. “I’m still following the Dodgers, checking the box scores, and keeping up with the guys.”
Looking back at the championship years
Taylor’s favorite memories with the Dodgers are likely the same thing many fans would say: winning World Series titles.
Taylor played during the 2020 and 2024 World Series, and even in seasons when the Dodgers didn’t win it all, Taylor gave fans plenty to smile about.
He was co-MVP of the 2017 NLCS with Justin Turner, and in 2021, he hit a walk off homer in the wild card round, then hit three homers in Game 5 of the NLCS.
Chris Taylor’s Legacy in Dodger Blue:
- Titles: 3x World Series Champion (2020, 2024, 2025)
- Accolades: 2017 NLCS Co-MVP, 2021 MLB All-Star
- Postseason Clutch: 9 HRs, 26 RBIs, .441 SLG across 19 playoff series
Overall, Taylor was a solid playoff performer, hitting .247 and slugging .441 in 19 playoff series, contributing nine homers and 26 RBIs in the process.
And who could forget that incredible catch in Game 7 of the 2018 NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, where he saved what should have been a game-tying double with a sliding catch on the warning track.
Even though the Dodgers fell short in each of those seasons — and in 2017 to a Houston Astros team that was cheating — the struggle made that 2020 championship “that much sweeter,” he said.
“All the relationships and bonds I created—some of my best friends are teammates,” he said. “Of course, all the postseason moments, that’s what you live for. There isn’t just one memory when I come here; it’s a place I spent so much time, so there are really too many to count.”
Enjoying retirement
Despite his love of the game, Taylor said he’s happy to be retired, even if it was a bit of a bumpy transition out of playing.
In an exchange with Dodgers Nation’s Ava Brand in the pregame scrum, Taylor addressed the mixed signals surrounding his retirement timeline, clarifying that while the transition out of professional baseball was bumpy, he is fully content with his decision.
He gets to spend time with his family and while he wants to return to the game in some capacity in the future, for now, he’s enjoying being a fan.
Taylor has never watched a game with his family before, as he’s been playing in them.
On Wednesday, though, he was given the chance to do just that.
