Chris Taylor is in the final guaranteed season of the four-year, $60 million contract he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022. Taylor and the Dodgers came to terms on what appeared to be a team-friendly deal just before the MLB lockout began.
Taylor’s contract includes a $12 million club option for 2026, but it is not likely that the Dodgers pick it up, especially if his performance from the past couple years continues.
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Taylor’s contract has become a rare misfire for the Dodgers front office as his production has steadily declined from the first season it was signed. Where before Taylor’s positional versatility and production at the plate amounted to consistent playing time, recent struggles have relegated him to a bench role.
Taylor’s 87 games played last season were his fewest in a full season during his Dodgers career. Receiving inconsistent at-bats since moving to a bench role may have exacerbated his offensive issues last season.
That’s carried into 2025, which manager Dave Roberts had already hinted at not being certain of Taylor’s role while still believing in the veteran’s intangibles.
“I don’t know right now,” answered Roberts when recently asked how he saw Taylor fitting into the lineup. “I’ve always said one of Chris’ super powers — and he’s won a lot of big games for the Dodgers in the biggest of moments — is his mindset, his mentality, to be ready for whatever we ask of him.
“And his ability to play all over the diamond. He’s got various gloves, he’s healthy, he’s moving really well.”
Roberts did suggest third base, left field and center field being the positions where Taylor would see some playing time. Roberts also predicted a bit of second base as one of the backup options.
Adapting to the challenges that come with a bench role is the biggest change Roberts hopes to see from Taylor this season.
“It’s hard to get locked in when you’re not playing every day,” Roberts recognized. “Hitting is hard. I think for me, it’s just some more consistent at-bats as far as quality of at-bat, moving the ball forward. I think C.T., and he’ll admit it, he’s very mechanically driven. But I also think it’s about performance, and it’s not always mechanical. He feels he’s in a great spot mechanically this year, which is fantastic.
“And he’s healthy, so I would expect better quality of at-bat.”
In addition to mechanical changes made during the offseason, Taylor is also attempting to make a mental adjustment. Specifically, he wants to avoid the pitfalls of tinkering with his swing from day to day.
Roberts understands the difficulties of the role, but hopes to see Taylor overcome them.
“That’s kind of what I’m touching on. When you’re in there every day, you can kind of tinker a little bit more because the rhythm and speed of the game, you’re kind of calibrated,” Roberts said. “But if you play two times a week, three times a week, it’s harder to be a tinkerer because you never have something that sticks.
“So that’s something that I think is a struggle with him all the time. I understand how difficult that role is, but I want to see competitive at-bats when he gets run out there.”
Chris Taylor approaching 10 years Major League service time
Taylor is on the verge of reaching 10 years of service time in the Majors, and remains on track to do so while spending at least the past five seasons with the Dodgers.
Thus, Taylor is going to receive a full no-trade clause as a player with 10-and-5 rights. Simply explained, reaching 10 years in Major League service time and the last five with one team.
Andre Ethier was last to reach that benchmark with the Dodgers in 2016.
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