Among the rookies to stand out for the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2019 season was Matt Beaty, who received his first MLB promotion at the end of April.
He was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City in the wake of A.J. Pollock landing on the 10-day injured list due to an elbow infection. The 26-year-old immediately made an impact, recording a pinch-hit single in his debut against the San Francisco Giants.
Beaty went on to appear in two more games during the road trip, picking up his first career RBI against the San Diego Padres. He shuffled back-and-forth from Triple-A and the Majors until establishing a permanent role for himself on the Dodgers active roster in June.
Beaty etched his name in history that month, becoming one of three rookies to hit a walk-off home run in consecutive games.
After a solid first season in the big leagues, Beaty said he has already resumed working out at Dodger Stadium with hopes of becoming more flexible this winter, as seen on SportsNet LA:
“I’m working out at the stadium with our strength coaches — B Mac and Travis — just coming into the stadium and getting ground balls and fly balls at Dodger Stadium, it’s a lot better than working out at other places I’ve worked out at the past. … I’m just trying to be as flexible as possible and versatile. Make it as easy for Doc to feel as comfortable as possible to put me anywhere in the lineup and field.”
Beaty appeared at four different positions for the Dodgers this past season, receiving the majority of his opportunities at first base. He also saw some time at third base and both outfield corner positions, increasing his playing time as a result.
In 99 games, Beaty hit a respectable .265/.317/.458 with 19 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 46 RBI and five stolen bases across 268 plate appearances. He especially thrived in the clutch, posting a 1.067 on-base plus slugging percentage with runners in scoring position.
Beaty’s success led to him being included on the Dodgers’ National League Division Series roster. He appeared in four of the five games against the Washington Nationals, going 3-for-8 while earning starts in the final two contests.
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