Should the Dodgers Look to Trade Chris Taylor?

Since the Dodgers acquired him from the Seattle Mariners in a 2016 trade, Chris Taylor has been a linchpin for the team. He plays nearly every defensive position, fills in when other players are injured, and frequently offers manager Dave Roberts a late-game defensive upgrade off the bench.

Taylor’s versatility also allows president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman to be flexible when addressing roster needs. If the Dodgers lose an infielder to injury, Taylor can shift to the infield and Friedman can acquire the best available outfielder – or vice versa.

A fan favorite, Taylor has come through in some of the Dodgers’ biggest moments. His spectacular catch in left-center field in Game 7 of the 2018 NLCS preserved the Dodgers’ 2-1 lead over the Brewers. In 2021, Taylor’s late home run walked off the Cardinals in the wild card game, sending the Dodgers to their first-ever postseason series against the Giants.

Friedman rewarded Taylor for his production by signing him to a 4-year, $60 million contract in 2022. Now, it could be time to move on from the super utilityman as his opportunities for playing time shrink.

A Problem the Dodgers Created

As mentioned above, Taylor’s ultimate value comes from his ability to play everywhere. Recent acquisitions by the Dodgers, and other internal personnel moves, have changed the calculus for their positional needs.

With Mookie Betts shifting to second base, playing time in the infield goes down drastically. Even before the Dodgers signed Freddie Freeman, Taylor did not see much time at first base. Betts has played at least 140 games in the last two years, Freeman has played even more, reducing the need for a regular on the right side of the infield.

The projected starters on the left side of the infield are Gavin Lux and Max Muncy. In addition, last year Friedman traded for backup Miguel Rojas and extended his contract. Rojas performed admirably in Lux’s absence in 2023, giving the Dodgers one of baseball’s best defensive shortstops. With Lux returning, Rojas can resume roaming between shortstop and third base as a backup.

Moving to the outfield, we see a similar story. James Outman emerged as the everyday center fielder in 2023 with an impressive rookie campaign. Despite being platooned at times during the season, Outman logged 145 games in center. Friedman shored up right field by re-signing clubhouse leader Jason Heyward and trading for Manuel Margot.

Left field looks like Taylor’s for the taking, but historically the Dodgers have not played him at a single position every day. In 2022, he saw most of his time in left field, playing 80 games as part of a platoon with Trayce Thompson and Joey Gallo. Last year he played 57 games in left, again as part of a platoon with David Peralta.

If the Dodgers put Taylor in left field every day, that takes away the value of his versatility. Friedman has said he is looking to acquire an everyday left fielder who crushes left-handed pitching. Assuming he is successful, the Dodgers will owe Taylor $26 million over the next two years despite having few at-bats to offer him.

Possible Solutions

As evidenced by more than $1.1 billion in contractual obligations the Dodgers committed last month, money is not scarce. The Dodgers could keep Taylor, and his $15 million competitive balance tax hit, as a bench piece and a reliable substitution in case of injury. Even for the Dodgers though, that’s an expensive luxury.

Taylor could — and perhaps should — be the primary infield backup. “Backup” might not be the right word. With Lux returning from a knee injury that cost him all of 2023, it would be reasonable to bake some additional off-days into his schedule early in the season. Muncy, 33, will need days off too. A significant amount of playing time could be up for grabs in the infield.

I’d prefer Taylor take those plate appearances over Rojas. While he strikes out at an alarming rate, Taylor still provides streaks where he looks like the greatest hitter on the planet. He has an .805 career OPS in the postseason.

Rojas’ potential limits his ceiling to that of a defensive replacement. Despite his superlative glove at shortstop, Rojas (1.3 WAR) and Taylor (1.4) provided roughly equivalent value according to Baseball Reference, even though Rojas appeared in seven more games and had 39 additional plate appearances. Unlike Taylor, Rojas has never started a game in the outfield.

The Dodgers could trade Rojas for a low-level prospect. At $5 million, Rojas’ salary will not be prohibitive for most teams. This eases the tension of having two players on the roster in similar roles. It also frees up a valuable 40-man roster spot, something the Dodgers need to do anyway to sign a right-handed hitter.

The least attractive option would be to trade Taylor. The Dodgers might need to eat some of his remaining salary to line up 29 potential suitors, but several teams could justify taking on Taylor’s salary rather than overpaying a different right-handed utility player in a relatively weak group of free agents.

A trade could help Taylor find the consistent playing time he can’t be assured in Los Angeles. In return, the Dodgers could land a solid prospect. If he can shed all of Taylor’s contract, Friedman would even have more money to acquire another player or two, and keep the Dodgers’ payroll under the final luxury tax threshold.

Few outside the Dodgers’ front office know the plan for Taylor. Ideally, they can find a way to keep his bat in the lineup and move him around the field. Considering the depth of their roster, and the fact that Friedman is looking to add another right-handed bat, that’s easier said than done.

Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

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