In a season filled with unsung heroes and several surprises, perhaps no one has been more key for the Los Angeles Dodgers than Chris Taylor. An infielder by trade, Taylor not only adjusted to playing the outfield, he excelled.
Where Taylor made the most notable change was at the plate. He entered the 2017 season with just 17 extra-base hits (13 doubles, one triple, one home run) in 318 plate appearances over 120 career Major League games.
An offseason spent overhauling his swing more than paid dividends for Taylor and the Dodgers. The strides made were readily apparent to manager Dave Roberts. “It was actually the first day of full squad workouts,” Roberts said.
“At that point in time he was on the back field. So as I was kind of making my way around the different hitting groups and the different fields, and you see Chris and the way the ball’s coming off, and he completely changed his swing mechanics.”
Prominent changes for Taylor were the addition of a leg kick and a more direct swing with his hands. It’s eliminated what the Dodgers and Taylor described as a “loop.” In turn, Taylor has better handled pitches with high velocity.
Success not only was reaped during the regular season, but the playoffs and World Series as well. Taylor attacked the first pitch he saw from Dallas Keuchel to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in Game 1 on Tuesday night.
“The goal coming into this year was to hit for more power and get the ball in the air,” Taylor said of his remarkable year. “But I didn’t think it would be this drastic of an improvement.”
While Taylor’s emergence solidified center field for the Dodgers, perhaps more importantly it gave them an answer in the leadoff spot. “To be that kind of fringy, 4-A player, and to really try to shoot the moon as far as commit to a swing change, he did that,” Roberts said.
“And it’s really paid off.”
