Offense Down, but Taylor Still Contributing

Offense Down, but Taylor Still Contributing – Recap: May 3-9

Chris Taylor, like the rest of the offense, had a down week but was still contributing to the effort. He had fewer hits this week than last but drew more walks while also striking out more. It wasn’t Taylor’s best week, but there were some positive moments. He drove in the team’s only run in the series finale against the Angels, but it didn’t matter as they went onto lose that game. 

Chris Taylor vs the Cubs

May 3 – Game canceled due to rain

May 4 – Doubleheader Game 1

Taylor came into the series against the Cubs, coming off an incredible game in Milwaukee. In his first AB, Hendriks got him swinging at a fastball on the outside part of the plate. His next AB he led off the inning, flying out to center field. He faced Hendriks a third time with nobody on in the sixth and singled right back up the middle for his only hit of the game.

May 4 – Doubleheader Game 2

In the first inning of game two, Taylor had his chance to give the Dodgers the lead but ended up grounding into a double play. Taylor’s continued discipline at the plate has paid off on multiple occasions. Although he was left stranded, he did work a 7-pitch walk. In the fifth inning, Rizzo hit a fly ball to deep center that got over Taylor’s head for a leadoff triple. This felt like a play Taylor should’ve made, and one Bellinger certainly makes if he’s in center. Bauer stranded the runner, so it didn’t cost the Dodgers. Bote made a diving play at third to rob him of a hit, and he went down looking in the eighth with the go-ahead run on second. 

May 5 – Taylor Still Contributing

Taylor struck out in his first at-bat of the game but followed that up with a base hit to lead off the fifth inning. He came around to score on Lux’s double, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. In the sixth, he came up with runners on second and third with one out and failed to drive home a run when he grounded out to third. Taylor’s night ended with two strikeouts, both with runners in scoring position. It was a rough day at the plate for him as he finished with three strikeouts. 

May 6 – Dodgers day off.

Chris Taylor vs the Angels

May 7 – Two Hit Night

After only registering two hits against the Cubs in the last series, Taylor hoped to turn things around at the plate against the Angels. In his first AB, he went down swinging at a slider pretty much right down the middle and flew out in his second AB. His first hit of the game came in the sixth inning when he hit a ground ball to third, and Rojas tried to make the backhanded play, but the ball got away from him. I thought it should’ve gone down as an error, but hey, I’ll happily take it. He doubled in his final AB of the night but was left stranded because that’s what the Dodgers love doing as of late.

May 8 – Offense Wakes Up

After a two-hit night the game before, Taylor found himself on base three more times on Saturday night. He grounded out in his first at-bat. But he singled in the fourth to load the bases and came around to score on Barnes’ base hit to give the Dodgers a 5-0 lead. He led off the fifth inning with a walk and scored for the second time when Betts singled in the Dodgers’ 10th run of the game. Taylor struck out his next two times at the plate and drew a walk in his final AB of the game. He stole second (his fourth on the season) but ended up being left stranded on base. 

May 9 – Only Run of the Night

Dodgers drew three walks in the first inning, and Taylor had a chance to give the Dodgers an early lead but flew out to left field. He found success his second time up, driving in the game’s only run with a two-out base hit. Taylor finished his day with two more walks but was left stranded both times. 

Chris was one of the few shining spots a week prior.  This week, Taylor struggled like everyone else, but is still contributing at the plate despite that. He struck out eight times in 21 ABs, twice as many as the week before in two fewer at-bats. His discipline at the plate has been good, but he has been swinging through some very hittable pitches in the middle of the zone. That seemed to be a common thing for the Dodgers as a whole, so we’ll keep an eye on this over the next week and see how it goes for CT. However, he did work five walks, so his patience at the plate is paying off as well.

For last week’s recap, click here.

For the latest Chris Taylor stats, click here.

PHOTO CREDIT: Stacy Revere/Getty Images