Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

34-Year-Old OutfielderOF
Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 Fantasy Outlook
In his seventh full season with the Dodgers, Taylor came off the bench more than ever before, starting only 82 of the 117 contests in which he played. Nonetheless, the utility man enjoyed a bit of a bounce-back in comparison to his 2022 campaign, increasing his OPS 69 points to .746 and recording more homers (15) and stolen bases (16) than the year prior despite logging 70 fewer plate appearances. However, Taylor struck out at a massive 32.6 percent rate -- an improvement over 2022, but still 17th-worst among MLB hitters with at least 300 plate appearances. Taylor's value to the Dodgers as a Swiss army knife capable of contributing strong defense all over the field (he played five different positions last year) is undeniable, but his contact issues and the team's depth will likely prevent him from maintaining an everyday spot in the lineup. There's some fantasy appeal due to his eligibility at multiple positions and middling power/speed skill set, though he's best deployed as an end-of-bench asset in leagues that allow daily lineup changes. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season
From Preseason
#354
ADP
$Signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Dodgers in December of 2021. Contract includes $12 million team option ($4 million buyout) for 2026.
Getting rare start
OFLos Angeles Dodgers
September 18, 2024
Taylor will start in left field and bat ninth in Wednesday's game against the Marlins.
ANALYSIS
Taylor will enter the lineup for just the seventh time since he was activated from the 10-day injured list Aug. 22. The 34-year-old will likely continue to see limited opportunities over the final week and a half of the season while the Dodgers' playoff positioning is not yet locked in.
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Batting Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
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2023 MLB Game Log
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2022 MLB Game Log
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Batting Order Slot Breakdown
vs Right-Handed Pitchers
vs RHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
1
4
7
8
vs Left-Handed Pitchers
vs LHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
1
1
10
8
12
Left/Right Batting Splits
Since 2022
 
 
+1%
OPS vs RHP
2024
Even Split
2023
 
 
+12%
OPS vs LHP
2022
 
 
+16%
OPS vs RHP
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2022vs Left .670 390 45 13 39 11 .196 .301 .369
Since 2022vs Right .677 673 74 15 77 18 .229 .311 .366
2024vs Left .543 94 8 1 6 1 .177 .290 .253
2024vs Right .544 131 15 2 11 2 .174 .275 .270
2023vs Left .795 161 24 10 24 7 .210 .317 .478
2023vs Right .712 223 27 5 32 9 .255 .332 .380
2022vs Left .608 135 13 2 9 3 .193 .289 .319
2022vs Right .706 319 32 8 34 7 .233 .310 .396
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Batting Splits
Since 2022
 
 
+1%
OPS at Home
2024
 
 
+5%
OPS on Road
2023
 
 
+3%
OPS at Home
2022
 
 
+2%
OPS at Home
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2022Home .677 497 64 13 53 18 .221 .314 .363
Since 2022Away .672 566 55 15 63 11 .214 .301 .371
2024Home .532 111 8 2 8 1 .168 .279 .253
2024Away .556 114 15 1 9 2 .182 .283 .273
2023Home .756 181 29 5 22 11 .256 .337 .419
2023Away .737 203 22 10 34 5 .219 .315 .421
2022Home .684 205 27 6 23 6 .217 .312 .372
2022Away .671 249 18 4 20 4 .225 .297 .374
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Stat Review
How does Chris Taylor compare to other hitters?
This section compares his stats with all batting seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • BB/K
    Walk to strikeout ratio
  • BB Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a walk.
  • K Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a strikeout.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many of a batter’s balls in play go for hits.
  • ISO
    Isolated Power. Slugging percentage minus batting average. A computation used to measure a batter's raw power.
  • AVG
    Batting average. Hits divided by at bats.
  • OBP
    On Base Percentage. A measure of how often a batters reaches base. Roughly equal to number of times on base divided by plate appearances.
  • SLG
    Slugging Percentage. A measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats.
  • OPS
    On base plus slugging. THe sum of a batter's on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
  • wOBA
    Weighted on-base average. Measures a player's overall offensive contributions per plate appearance. wOBA combines all the different aspects of hitting into one metric, weighting each of them in proportion to their actual run value.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Hard Hit Rate
    A measure of contact quality from Sports Info Solutions. This stat explains what percentage of batted balls were hit hard vs. medium or soft.
  • Barrels/PA
    The percentage of plate appearances where a batter had a batted ball classified as a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Expected BA
    Expected Batting Average.
  • Expected SLG
    Expected Slugging Percentage.
  • Sprint Speed
    The speed of a runner from home to first, in feet per second.
  • Ground Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are on the ground.
  • Line Drive %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are line drives.
  • Fly Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are fly balls.
BB/K
0.38
 
BB Rate
12.0%
 
K Rate
32.0%
 
BABIP
.258
 
ISO
.088
 
AVG
.175
 
OBP
.281
 
SLG
.263
 
OPS
.544
 
wOBA
.254
 
Exit Velocity
86.0 mph
 
Hard Hit Rate
30.6%
 
Barrels/PA
4.0%
 
Expected BA
.206
 
Expected SLG
.332
 
Sprint Speed
24.7 ft/sec
 
Ground Ball %
40.2%
 
Line Drive %
19.7%
 
Fly Ball %
40.2%
 
Advanced Batting Stats
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Additional Stats
Games By Position
Defensive Stats
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Batted Ball Stats
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Stats Vs Upcoming Pitchers
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Chris Taylor See More
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4 days ago
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11 days ago
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11 days ago
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18 days ago
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MLB DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Saturday, August 31
18 days ago
Francisco Lindor is one of the top options to build your Saturday FanDuel lineups around.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Given Taylor's strong 2021 campaign that included his first All-Star berth, the Dodgers seemed to be getting good value on the four-year, $60 million contract they handed him during the ensuing offseason. However, the versatile veteran performed well below his usual standards in the first year of the deal, finishing with a .677 OPS -- his lowest since becoming a full-time player -- over 118 games. Health certainly played a part in the drop-off, as Taylor battled a variety of injuries (most notably, a fractured foot that kept out nearly all of July) throughout the campaign. The bigger picture, however, is that Taylor struggled mightily to make contact -- both his 39.9 percent whiff rate and 35.2 percent strikeout rate ranked very near the bottom among major-league hitters. The utility man also lost some of his utility last season, as almost all of his time was spent in the outfield and at second base following a 2021 campaign during which he logged double-digit appearances at four different positions, including shortstop and third base. The reduction in positional eligibility along with the offensive struggles will likely have a big impact on Taylor's draft stock heading into 2023; there's still an element of power-speed in his profile, but a bounce-back for a hitter in his early 30s is far from a certainty.
The Swiss army knife of Major League Baseball, Taylor returns to the Dodgers after re-signing with the team ahead of the lockout in December. Taylor is coming off an extremely productive season in which he slashed .254/.344/.438 with 20 homers, 73 RBI, 92 runs scored and 13 stolen bases as the club's super-utility man. He was a first-time All-Star in 2021 on the strength of a .277/.382/.452 line in the first half. The versatility and well-rounded production make Taylor appealing even in shallow mixed leagues where he can sometimes be overlooked given he's not a superstar player. Taylor enters the year with multi-position eligibility (2B/SS/OF) and plenty of playing time on the horizon, especially with the new contract and the subtraction of Corey Seager from the roster.
Taylor saw action at four different positions plus designated hitter during the 2020 campaign and continued to provide plus defense. The 30-year-old entered the season in a downward trend, but he was a lineup fixture during the shortened slate and played in all but four games. Taylor rediscovered the form from his breakout 2016 season with a .270/.366/.476 slash line, eight home runs, 10 doubles, three stolen bases and 32 RBI in 56 games. He also posted the best walk rate (12.3%) of his career. He shouldn't be expected to replicate those numbers in 2021, but an improvement over his sub-.800 OPS from 2018-2019 is reasonable. The Dodgers may give youngster Gavin Lux a look at second base next season, but the potential departures of Justin Turner, Joc Pederson and Enrique Hernandez in free agency should leave Taylor plenty of opportunities as he enters the final year of his contract.
Taylor's 2019 was impacted by a broken arm from a hit-by-pitch that cost him a good chunk of the summer. Prior to that, Taylor was having a solid season with a .261/.334/.452 slash line with eight homers and 20 doubles in nearly 300 PA. He returned in late August and finished the year with similar ratios. A decline in homers and a rise in doubles point to balls not traveling as far, which is concerning given the baseball that was in play last season. Taylor's average exit velocity dropped more than three mph last season, putting him in the bottom seventh percentile overall in that area. He strikes out like a power hitter, but he isn't hitting much like one these days. He is eligible at three positions on draft day, but the statistical decline we've seen from Taylor since his 2017 breakout is beginning to get concerning. Overall, he is still an above-average offensive player, but backsliding.
August was a month Taylor would like to soon forget. The acquisitions of Manny Machado and Brian Dozier ate into his playing time. When on the field, Taylor posted a .185/.272/.321 line with a 35.9 K%. Perhaps there was cause and effect, but he did rebound the final month, slashing .345/.433/.586, albeit it with a 29.9 K%. In fact, over the final three months, Taylor fanned at a 34.1% clip, saved by a .379 BABIP in that span. Over the first three months he registered a 25.7 K% and .320 BABIP. For the season, Taylor’s 29.5 K% was up from 2017’s breakout campaign. His power and speed took a step back as his HR/FB dropped while his stolen-base chances and success rate both dipped. Taylor could return to everyday action, but it’s more likely he settles into a super-utility role as a plus defender at several positions. If Taylor gets regular playing time, his contact woes are a threat to take it away. The ceiling is enticing, but the floor says don’t overpay.
A retooled swing completely changed Taylor's career trajectory; he went from an also-ran utility type to an impact top-of-the-order hitter on a pennant-winning Dodgers club. Taylor worked with an outside consultant to change his bat path and reduce his number of groundballs, and in turn he added six percentage points to his hard-hit rate (to 32.4 percent) and upped his barrel rate from 3.1 barrels per plate appearance to 5.2. Taylor finished with a .361 wOBA and 126 wRC+ in 568 plate appearances, while falling three stolen bases shy of a 20-20 season. He also showed more patience, walking at an 8.8 percent clip, so even if his average falls (25 percent strikeout rate, .361 BABIP), Taylor will have a good chance to stick in the leadoff spot. The 27-year-old has multi-position eligibility and is part of a powerful lineup. This seems like just the beginning of his window of relevance.
Taylor, a former top prospect, was traded to the Dodgers at midseason after failing to carve out a major league role with the Mariners. In L.A., he saw some time backing up Corey Seager at shortstop while also filling in at second and third base. His time with the big league squad was limited though, so most of his production came during his time with Triple-A Oklahoma City where he hit an excellent .368/.438/.544. He still has value as a pre-arbitration player capable of fielding shortstop well, but that isn't exactly a profile with much fantasy appeal. Unfortunately for Taylor, the Dodgers also have Charlie Culberson in the organization, another right-handed hitter that can work as a utility infielder, so the two will likely have to duke it out in spring training for a roster spot.
A broken wrist last spring ended a competition with Brad Miller at shortstop, but when Taylor returned in early May the position was still his for the taking as the Mariners tired of Miller's fielding miscues. Taylor, though, looked baffled at the plate. He batted .159/.221/.206 in 20 games and was back in Triple-A by month's end. He got another chance in July, but again struggled, batting .194/.219/.258 in 17 games before a demotion for good. He fared much better in 83 games at Tacoma, but in the majors his contact rate dropped to 67 percent, his strikeout rose to 30.4% and he posted a poor 5.9% walk rate. Prospect Ketel Marte took over shortstop later in the year, all but ensuring the best Taylor can do in the Mariners' organization is a backup or utility role. Trouble is, Seattle acquired utility man Luis Sardinas in November and returns infielder/outfielder Shawn O'Malley. It's hard to see where Taylor fits, other than waiting in Triple-A for an injury to Marte.
Taylor made his major league debut last season, quickly displacing Brad Miller as the starting shortstop in Seattle. But while Taylor has a better glove than Miller, he doesn't appear to have near the potential with the bat. Taylor doesn't have the power to compensate for the high strikeout rate he carried through the minors. That got even worse after his late-July callup, as he posted a 25.8% strikeout rate in his 136 at-bats with a 73.4% contact rate. His on-base skills took a hit too, as his walk rate was a mere 7.3%. And his seemingly impressive .287 batting average was a product of a .402 BABIP. Of course, a two-month sample size isn't definitive, but Taylor needs to cut his strikeouts and show the patience at the plate he displayed in the minors if he wants to win the starting job over Miller in spring training.
This could prove to be a pivotal year for Taylor, who likely will open at Triple-A Tacoma hoping to show his ceiling is higher than the all-glove utility man he has been pegged as. A 2012 fifth-round pick out of the University of Virginia, Taylor showed excellent patience at the plate last season, drawing 84 walks in 134 games across two minor league stops. At 6-0, 170, he doesn't have the build for much power, which makes his high strikeout rate a problem. He hit well in the Arizona Fall League, but if he is to take the next step, he must make more contact. Taylor has good speed and is excellent on the bases, succeeding on 38-of-43 stolen base attempts last season. In the field, his range at shortstop is described as average to above average depending on the scout, but he has a strong arm and can play second base, too. The Mariners have a backlog of middle infielders, but Taylor will have a chance to prove that he too belongs in the conversation.
More Fantasy News
Activated from IL
OFLos Angeles Dodgers
August 22, 2024
The Dodgers reinstated Taylor (groin) from the 10-day injured list Thursday.
ANALYSIS
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Nearing return to majors
OFLos Angeles Dodgers
Groin
August 19, 2024
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Taylor (groin) could be activated from the 10-day injured list "within the week," Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Begins rehab stint
OFLos Angeles Dodgers
Groin
August 17, 2024
Taylor (groin) kicked off a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, going 1-for-4 with an RBI double.
ANALYSIS
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Facing live pitching again
OFLos Angeles Dodgers
Groin
August 11, 2024
Taylor (groin) took batting practice Saturday and is expected to report to the Dodgers' spring training facility in Arizona this week to get in more live at-bats before heading out on a rehab assignment, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
ANALYSIS
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Officially placed on IL
OFLos Angeles Dodgers
Groin
July 25, 2024
The Dodgers placed Taylor on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a left groin strain, Kirsten Watson of Spectrum SportsNet LA reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Leash running out
OFLos Angeles Dodgers
May 15, 2024
Jack Harris of The Los Angeles Times reported that Taylor's playing time has seen a drastic reduction.
ANALYSIS
Taylor has a .071/.209/.071 slash line and 41.2 percent strikeout rate through 68 plate appearances this season and has started just once in Los Angeles' past 11 games. The veteran utility man is owed $13 million next year and also has a club option with a $4 million buyout for 2026, which is likely why the club is reluctant to move on from the longtime Dodger. Taylor will need a significant turnaround in order to retain his roster spot long term, let alone to have a chance of seeing regular playing time.
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