LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers continued to say farewell to key contributors of the recent past when utility man Chirs Taylor was released Sunday.
The move was made as second baseman/centerfielder Tommy Edman (ankle) was activated from the injured list.
Taylor’s departure comes four days after longtime backup catcher Austin Barnes was designated for assignment.
“This has been a very emotional week for all of us,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “Barnsey and CT have been in the middle of some huge moments for this organization. Both guys have left an indelible mark on our culture and where we’re at at this point.
“… But with where we are, the division race, the composition of roster, everything, we felt like this was in the Dodgers’ best interest in terms of how to win as many games and put us in a position to best win the World Series this year.”
The team not only cut loose their two longest tenured position players, the Dodgers moved on from veterans who have made their mark in the postseason. Each player contributed in the team’s run of four World Series appearances in an eight-year span starting in 2017.
Taylor, 34, came to the Dodgers in a 2016 trade with the Seattle Mariners for right-hander Zach Lee in a swap of underperforming players. But a swing adjustment to supply more power, and the addition of outfield play, turned him into a valuable contributor.
“He is the consummate pro, the way he did a trust fall when he got here,” Friedman said. “He came in hungry and wanting to get better, and dove in with our hitting guys, with our position coaches. … He’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever been around. Whenever he’s done playing four, five, six years from now, I hope he’s always connected to the Dodgers.”
Taylor blossomed in 2017, leaving his mark on what would be a controversial World Series against the Houston Astros with a leadoff home run in Game 1 against Dallas Keuchel to lead the Dodgers to a 3-1 victory.
Taylor’s sliding catch on the warning track in the fifth inning of Game 7 of the 2018 National League Championship Series helped propel the Dodgers into the World Series again. His three home runs and six RBIs in Game 5 of the 2021 NLCS against the Atlanta Braves gave the Dodgers their only victory of the series.
He got the team through a one-game wild-card showdown in 2021 against the St. Louis Cardinals with a game-ending home run.
The Dodgers will now absorb more than $13 million Taylor is owed, which includes about $9 million remaining on his salary this season and a $4 million buyout on a $12-million extension next season.
Edman’s arrival in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals last season was key to helping the club win the World Series. Edman took over at shortstop in the playoffs and played quality defense while batting .328 in 16 postseason games with two home runs and 13 RBIs. He was named NLCS MVP in the series against the New York Mets.
Taylor’s departure also was hastened by the arrival of infielder Hyeseong Kim, who has provided speed, quality defense and a .452 batting average with one home run, five RBIs and three stolen bases in his first 14 games with the club.
“I wouldn’t say it was something that we thought was fait accompli, and was necessarily going to happen,” Friedman said about the Taylor and Barnes departures. “But with where we were, all things factored in, while not easy, we felt like it was the right thing to do.”
Taylor was 7-for-35 (.200) in 28 games this season and had started just three games since April 16. In 1,007 games over 10 seasons with the Dodgers he batted .250 with a .330 on-base percentage, 108 home runs and 433 RBIs. He also batted .247 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs in 80 playoff games.
ALSO
Right-hander Kirby Yates was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right-hamstring strain that occurred in Saturday’s game. The club selected the contract of right-hander Lou Trivino, who was signed to a minor league deal on May 10 and had one scoreless appearance at Triple-A Oklahoma City. … After a 50-pitch bullpen session Saturday, Shohei Ohtani is set to move to the next step in his effort to return to the mound with Friedman saying, “We’ll continue to kind of map out the next week or two and keep going, but everything is progressing in the right direction, and we’ll start accelerating it at some point. Not sure exactly when.”
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Dodgers (RHP Landon Knack, 2-1, 5.89 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks (RHP Brandon Pfaadt, 6-3, 3.73 ERA), Monday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM
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