Chris Taylor begins in left subject for the Dodgers in Friday's sequence opener towards the Reds at Nice American Ball Park in Cincinnati, trying to discover a spot after the worst begin to a season in his profession. profession
Taylor has simply six hits, all singles, in 62 at-bats this season, hitting .097/.219/.097 with 30 strikeouts and 9 walks. Among the many 384 main leaguers with at the very least 50 plate appearances this season, Taylor ranks 377th in wRC+(7), useless final in slugging share, 381st in OPS, 365th in on-base share, and 381st in batting common. Taylor additionally has the third-highest strikeout price at 40.5 %.
That precept basically relegated Taylor to the bench. Friday is his first begin towards a right-handed pitcher since April 12, 4 days earlier than Andy Pages was recalled. That is simply the second begin towards somebody within the final 17 video games.
“Each dwell scenario we’ve got with our pitchers, he's on the market. He's accountable, he works arduous, he doesn't make excuses,” supervisor Dave Roberts stated Monday at Dodger Stadium. “I believe the swing is healthier. So now the query is what's greatest for CT by way of, how can we’ve got the most effective monitor? I didn't do it, as a result of I really feel there are different guys who ought to have the chance to play.”
Taylor on restricted responsibility in Might has halved his hits on the season, going 3 for 13. His common path to taking part in time was begins towards left-handed pitchers, however the Dodgers haven't confronted a real beginning pitcher from April 8 towards Ryan Weathers and the Marlins.
Roberts stated he had a dialog with Taylor final week when the Dodgers had been in San Francisco about his taking part in time.
“He clearly understands his efficiency, how the blokes play. However he additionally needs the chance to play, and I perceive and respect that,” Roberts stated. “I simply requested him to proceed to be prepared when referred to as upon, and that's what he's doing.”
The Dodgers had an analogous scenario a 12 months in the past with Trayce Thompson, who was in a platoon position, beginning largely towards lefties, and in addition in a horrible hunch. Thompson went hitless in 39 consecutive at-bats earlier than lastly snapping the skid with a three-hit sport, together with a house run over Memorial Day weekend.
Maybe he’s looking for related lightning in a bottle with Taylor throughout this Memorial Day weekend. The crew wants offense from anyplace they’ll get it, averaging fewer than 4 runs per sport throughout their 13-game stretch that ended Wednesday. Throughout Might, 10 of the 16 Dodgers hitters have an OPS of .711 or worse, and solely two gamers (Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman) are over .800 this month.
