Chris Taylor returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers this week after missing nearly a month due to a left groin strain.
Before his injury, the 33-year-old was primarily seeing time at third base with Max Muncy on the shelf. Now that the All-Star slugger is back, Taylor will have a reduced role with the team for the rest of the season.
He will get most of his opportunities off the bench against left-handed pitching and play all over the field. “It’s going to be certainly the defensive versatility,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Taylor’s role.
“I think at times there will be an at-bat versus a lefty, potential start versus a lefty if the splits make sense. Today, I’m going to play Gavin because (Tyler) Alexander is very neutral. I think Gavin has been swinging the bat great and it keeps the lineup balance.
“Max was a little sore after his three days (playing), so to give him two days to get his body right, then at that point in time I feel we’ve just got to let him go in the sense of he’s our starting third baseman. Versus left, versus right, run him out there every day. But I wanted to give him a foundation.
“I do like giving Gavin a start against a lefty, and if there’s a tough lefty on the bench, then there’s the spot I can hit C.T. But I don’t know the role right now. Right now for me, it’s be ready when called upon. I’m going to run my best players out there. We’ve got to win games.”
The Dodgers faced a left-handed pitcher in Tyler Alexander on Friday, but Roberts opted to play Gavin Lux at second base due to his recent success. Kikè Hernández also got the start at third base in place of Max Muncy, which left Taylor as the odd man out.
With no clear spot for Taylor, he will have to make the best of his limited opportunities going forward.
Chris Taylor worked on swing changes
Taylor is in the midst of the worst season of his career and has been focused on making some adjustments to his swing. “Reports have been good. He’s healthy. I think the thing for Chris is he’s got to handle the fastball,” Roberts said.
“It’s got to be a swing that works well enough to not play every day, to come off the bench and take good at-bats, and so that’s going to be the role. And so whatever that looks like, he’s done it before, and that’s what I’m looking for.
“So he is certainly a mechanics guy, but once we get him back, I expect him to be back and be ready to help us win. Because we’re going to need all 26 guys to be productive.”
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