Former Los Angeles Dodgers utility player Chris Taylor has called it a career after 12 years in the major leagues, 10 of which he spent with the Dodgers.
Taylor played more than 1007 games for the Dodgers, with more than 3,500 plate appearances in Dodger Blue.
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During his time with the Dodgers, he racked up 16 bWAR over 10 years, contributing on defense and with his bat, alongside providing some of the most special moments in the past decade of Dodgers baseball.
He made an All-Star team during his time with the Dodgers, captured two World Series titles, and even shared the 2017 NLCS MVP with Justin Turner.
Oct 27, 2020; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chris Taylor (3) celebrates after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays to win the World Series during game six of the 2020 World Series at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Here are a handful of the wonderful memories Chris Taylor has provided viewers of the Dodgers since 2016:
The 2021 Wild Card Walk-Off
There are few moments greater than a walk-off home run, but how about one with the team’s playoff hopes on the line?
In the bottom of the 9th with a runner on second base and the game tied at 1-1, Taylor stepped up and hit the game-winning home run with a 2-1 count.
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With his signature swing that involves a motion looking like he is about to swing a paddle, Taylor uncorked one to the bleachers and sent the Dodgers onto the next round.
There are plenty of hitters who can produce all regular season long, but when the lights are brightest and the leverage is high, they tighten up and struggle.
Chris Taylor is not one of those players.
Game 5 of the 2021 NLCS
In Game 5 of the 2021 NLCS, with the Dodgers down 3-1 in the series, Taylor hit three home runs, a historic night for a player not known for slugging over the course of a season.
During the 2021 postseason, Taylor was scorching hot. Even if the Dodgers fell short of a repeat title, his performance extended the series by one more game.
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The Drought is Over
The first of Taylor’s two titles was the one that broke the Dodgers’ World Series drought. It had been 32 years since they lifted the trophy, all the way back to 1988.
When asked about his favorite moment, Taylor said back in 2023 that the 2020 title was the best.
“It’s got to be winning the World Series. That’s a moment you dream of as a kid and to be able to finally do it is a surreal feeling. That whole month was crazy. Playing in the bubble,” Taylor said.
“Playing with no fans all season and then we finally have fans for the postseason. And such a great playoffs for us. That battle coming back three games to one against the Braves and being able to beat the Rays there in that last (series).”
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The Catch in Milwaukee during the 2018 NLCS
In Game 7, Taylor made a ridiculous catch over his head on a deep fly ball from Christian Yelich. The Dodgers had a one-run lead, and with a runner on scoring position and a ball that was scortched, it looked like the game was going to end up being tied.
He made so many key defensive players over the years, but this one has to be at the top of the list.
2017 World Series Leadoff Run
It had been 29 years since the Dodgers reached the World Series when Chris Taylor stepped up into the leadoff spot in the first inning against the Houston Astros.
To make a special moment even more special, Taylor drove the first pitch of the game out of the park for a home run.
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The Dodgers would be robbed of a World Series title by an Astros team found to be cheating, but Taylor gave Dodgers fans in attendance a special piece of history at the start of the series.
2017 NLCS Co-MVP Greatness
Batting .316 with two homers, five runs, three RBIs, and four walks, Chris Taylor delivered an amazing NLCS in 2017 to propel the Dodgers back to the World Series.
He ended up sharing the honors with Justin Turner, who hit .353 with two homers, six RBIs, and five walks, in addition to a walk-off in Game 2.
“It’s incredible. What C.T. has done for our lineup all year long, settling into the lealeadoffot, getting on base, the baserunner that he is, hitting balls over the fence — he’s a dynamic player and a tablesetter. When he goes, we usually go as a team. You guys saw that here in the postseason,” Turner said.