Chris Taylor has been out of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup since last Saturday due to a neck injury he had been playing through for at least one week. The club hoped a few days of rest would help the 31-year-old avoid a stint on the injured list.
The time off proved to be beneficial as Taylor will remain with the Dodgers as they begin their final road trip of the regular season. “We’re going to keep him active. The improvement [Tuesday] was considerably better,” manager Dave Roberts said.
“I think he’ll be available off the bench in some capacity, which is a positive. Get through [Wednesday], go the off day, and see where he’s at on Friday. Just knowing he’s available and trending in the right way, it makes a lot of sense to forgo the IL.”
Taylor did not end up appearing in the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but has been one of the Dodgers’ most valuable players this season as he ranks seventh on the team with 3.0 WAR.
Although he has struggled at the plate over the last month, his contributions extend beyond hitting.
“He’s a glue guy and an All-Star. Even when he’s not swinging the bat the way he’s capable of, he still finds a way to help you win,” Roberts said last week.
“He’s been battling this neck thing but he’ll never make excuses. I trust him as a ballplayer.”
Muncy sustained right knee contusion
Along with Taylor presumably being available for Friday’s series opener against the Cincinnati Reds, Max Muncy is expected to be in the Dodgers lineup as well.
He was slow to get up and walked with a limp after sliding into second base on a stolen base in the third inning of Wednesday’s matchup with the Diamondbacks.
“It’s a contusion and going to be sore,” Roberts said of Muncy’s knee injury. “We have the off day and he’ll be in there on Friday. He’ll be fine.”
Despite injuring his knee on the play, Muncy remained in the game and hit a home run in his next at-bat against Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly.
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