When the Los Angeles Dodgers faced the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 21 they did not have Andrew Toles hitting leadoff. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts elected to put Joc Pederson atop the lineup because he felt the need for a more patient approach in front of Corey Seager and Justin Turner.
Roberts felt that course of action was the more sound decision than asking Toles, an aggressive hitter, to change his approach and mindset at the plate. The 24-year-old went 1-for-4 with an RBI that evening as the Dodgers’ No. 8 hitter.
Toles then hit a bit of a skid over the next five games (three starts), going 1-for-14 with one RBI two walks and two strikeouts.
His fortunes appeared to change on April 27 when Toles entered in the seventh inning of the series finale against the San Francisco Giants. He delivered a go-ahead single in the 10th, sparking the Dodgers to a four-run inning.
Since that point, Toles is 5-for-13 with one double, two home runs and four RBI the past three games. He slugged a three-run homer in the sixth inning on Sunday. The home run was Toles’ second in as many games.
It initially was insurance for the Dodgers, extending their lead over the Philadelphia Phillies to 5-1. But the homer loomed large, as Grant Dayton surrendered a two-run home run in the ninth inning. Kenley Jansen was called on for the one-out save in the Dodgers’ 5-3 victory.
On the season, Toles is batting .239/.289/.465 with one double, five home runs, 13 RBI and a .296 wOBA. “Andrew is fun to watch,” Roberts said after his club swept the Phillies. “He’s strong, maybe a little naive, it’s great to see. He doesn’t scare from a big spot.
“He’s still a young player in the big leagues, not knowing the entire league but really not caring. He’s just going up there and competing, trying to put together at-bats, play defense and help us win baseball games.”
