What seemed like a never-ending nightmare full of failure and disappointment for Chris Taylor of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has now turned into a relieving reality. He has been able to turn around his season-long shortcomings and become an asset to his team once again.
Taylor, enduring a massive slump in 2024, has not been nearly the caliber of player the Dodgers have known and loved for years. The mental side of the game for him has been tough as he has faced criticism from himself and the fans. Feeling like he would never get back on track, Taylor still worked day in and day out to overcome the challenges at hand.
With his consistent work off the field, he has been able to see the fruits of his labor come to light. With one swing of the bat on a game in mid-June, his luck changed as he launched his first home run of the season. Will Chris Taylor be able to keep it up?
Chris Taylor’s Turning Point
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The shift in Taylor’s performance can be traced back to June 14 when he blasted his first home run of the season. A solo shot against the Kansas City Royals, he tied up the game 3-3, ultimately leading them to victory as they defeated the Royals 4-3.
Taylor described this moment as a relief. Creating a positive impact on his team when given the opportunity was enough to encourage him going forward.
In a Dodgers postgame interview with Taylor, he stated, “I wasn’t sure if I was ever gonna get to do that again.” Through his stoic demeanor, a relieving expression was conveyed through his words and body language. The All-Star player was on his way back to greatness again.
Taylor’s Last 10 Games
Chris Taylor has left it all on the field in his last 10 games. His batting average during this stretch is at an impressive .409, having nine hits in his last 20 at-bats. In addition, he has gone deep twice while garnering four RBIs and seven runs.
At the plate, he is seeing the ball much better and putting together quality at-bats. Over the last 10 games, he has only registered two strikeouts and just eight on the month. In comparison to the previous months, this rate is exponentially lower as he registered 21 Ks in April and 11 Ks in May. This is the improvement the Dodgers have been seeking from Chris Taylor all year long.
Effect on the Trade Deadline
Taylor’s current success and production in the lineup may alter the way the Dodgers attack the trade deadline. Their recent acquisition of Cavan Biggio has fallen short due to his poor performance since becoming a Dodger.
In Biggio’s last 10 games, he has had 28 at-bats with only five hits to show for it. Spending most of his time at third base, the Dodgers may take action to fill the gap he is leaving in the lineup. The Los Angeles front office could look to pick up another third baseman elsewhere.
The struggles of players like Chris Taylor highly influenced the acquisition of Biggio. Now that Taylor has begun to turn around his inadequate performance, he may take the spot that Biggio has left so empty. If that is the case, the Dodgers can spend their trade deadline efforts in other areas of need.
Chris Taylor and the Dodgers look to move to 54-33 as they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks at home on Wednesday.
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