The Dodgers are retaining at least one of their top free agents, announcing agreement on a four-year contract with Chris Taylor. It’s reportedly a $60MM guarantee for the Meister Sports Management client that also contains a 2026 club option which could bring the value of the deal as high as $73MM.
According to reports, Taylor will be paid $15MM salaries in each of the next two seasons, followed by successive $13MM guarantees in 2024-25. He’s also guaranteed at least a $4MM buyout on the 2026 option, which is valued at $12MM. He’d receive a $2MM assignment bonus for every time he’s traded over the course of the deal. Additionally, the value of Taylor’s option season would increase by $3MM if he’s traded within the next two seasons, by $2MM if he’s traded between the end of the 2023 and the end of the 2024 campaigns, or by $1MM if he’s traded between the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2026. The option price would also escalate by $1MM if he tallies 525 plate appearances, earns an All-Star nomination or wins a Silver Slugger Award during the 2025 campaign.
Taylor’s guarantee falls a bit shy of MLBTR’s four-year, $64MM projection entering the offseason. He had hit the market as a fairly atypical free agent, having never settled into one spot on a star-studded Dodgers roster while bouncing around the diamond in a utility capacity. Despite his lack of a settled role, Taylor has gotten into the lineup on a near everyday basis, earning the organization’s trust with rare offensive punch for a utilityman.
The Dodgers acquired Taylor from the Mariners in a seemingly minor 2016 deal. That proved to be one of the more shrewd pick-ups of president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman’s tenure in L.A., though, as Taylor has been a highly productive player essentially from that moment on. The right-handed hitter has posted above-average offensive numbers (by measure of wRC+) in each of the past five seasons.
Taylor gets to that production with a strong blend of plate discipline and power. He rarely chases pitches outside the strike zone, and he’s become especially adept at drawing walks over the past few seasons. He also brings 15-20 home run power to the table despite playing in a pitcher-friendly environment in L.A. That’s helped Taylor offset higher than average strikeout rates to remain a quality offensive player.
Going back to his 2017 breakout, the Virginia native owns a .265/.343/.461 cumulative line. That’s 16 percentage points above the league average output, not far off his numbers in his platform campaign. Taylor hit .254/.344/.438 with 20 homers in 582 plate appearances in 2021, translating to a 113 wRC+ (13 points above average). He started especially hot, posting a .277/.382/.452 mark through the season’s first half en route to his first career All-Star selection.
While Taylor’s multi-year track record always looked likely to pay him handsomely this offseason, he did seem at one point as though he’d hit the market on a down note. The 31-year-old slumped to a .223/.290/.419 line over the regular season’s second half, seeing his strikeout rate spike to 33.1% in the process. But Taylor put any questions about his tough finish to rest with a monster postseason, popping four homers in 43 playoff plate appearances (including a walk-off shot in the National League Wild Card game) to help the Dodgers to the NL Championship Series.
Valuable as Taylor is offensively, he’s perhaps more well-known for his defense. Taylor has functioned as a true utility player over the years, starting games at every position other than first base and catcher. He spends the bulk of his time at the higher-value positions up the middle of the diamond, particularly at second base and in center field.
His return will give skipper Dave Roberts plenty of flexibility, and it’s likely Taylor will continue to assume that rover role now that he’s back in Dodger blue. Looking at the 2022 roster, it seems the bulk of that time could come at second base.
Taylor played very little at the keystone down the stretch after L.A. acquired Trea Turner from the Nationals at the trade deadline. With Corey Seager now in Texas, Turner looks likely to slide back to his typical shortstop position. That’d leave Taylor and Gavin Lux as the favorites for playing time at second, with either player also capable of spelling the presumptive starting outfield of AJ Pollock, Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts.
The specific breakdown of Taylor’s deal has yet to be reported, but the $15MM average annual value is the meaningful figure from a competitive balance tax perspective. Luxury tax calculations are based on deals’ AAV’s as opposed to actual payouts structures. After accounting for the Taylor deal, the Dodgers’ 2022 CBT number sits around $231MM, in the estimation of Jason Martinez of Roster Resource. That’d have handily exceeded the $210MM first threshold in 2021, although it’s impossible to know precisely where the CBT markers will land in the next collective bargaining agreement.
The Taylor signing also has an indirect effect on the Dodgers’ 2022 draft. He’d received and rejected an $18.4MM qualifying offer at the outset of the offseason. The Dodgers won’t directly forfeit a pick for re-signing their own free agent, but they are bypassing the pick they’d have received had they allowed Taylor to sign elsewhere. That’s a small price to pay for a player of Taylor’s caliber, though, particularly for the Dodgers. Because they exceeded the CBT threshold in 2021, they’d have only stood to recoup a pick after the fourth round had they allowed Taylor to walk.
Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported the Dodgers and Taylor were making progress on an agreement. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic first reported the sides had reached an agreement, as well as first with the contract terms. The Associated Press reported the specific breakdown of terms.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Can he pitch?
Leury Garcia a bargain compared to this projected price tag!
Taylor is way better than Garcia though
I’m almost certain, moving forward, Garcia out performs Taylor. As the rosters sit, Garcia is going to have substantial playing time at second base.
Time to shine!
DanielDannyDano he’ll outperform him warming the bench.
Hahahahaha! DanielDannyDano you are such a kidder.
https://youtu.be/Rlv32bx65pM
5:08 talks about Taylor. I don’t think people realize how good he’s been
I am more certain that he won’t.
This amount for a projected back up, at his age – is ridiculous.
He’s not a “backup”, he’s a utility guy, and there’s a lot of value in that. If you think his price tag is ridiculous, wait til you see what Kris Bryant gets.
@Dogbone If you think Taylor is a “projected back up” you have not been watching his career at all. Taylor is an every day player, and a good one at that. 60M for four years for his production is a bargain in today’s game.
TAYLOR > Garcia
Taylor made contract for Chris
SuperSub
So happy for Taylor, he’s been great to watch the last few years. Baseball gamer always plays hard, doesn’t complain, plays everywhere, can hit for power, plays excellent def. Dodgers really needed to resign him.
Let’s see, Julio urias, walker buehler, dustin may, tony gonsolin, david price. Even if they don’t add arms – which, clearly they will – dodgers don’t really have the pitching problem you seem to think they do
@semut, so you’re basically saying Urias and Buehler. May is out most of the season. gonsolin has injury issues. Price is trash
As a Dodgers fan, this is a poor take. They need two more reliable starters. Could be Kershaw (who is good for 20 starts) and Castillo, but they will certainly add multiple pieces between now and April.
I’m a Dodger fan but you’re high if you think Kershaw is good for 20!
I agree they are not in the worst shape as far as pitching. I don’t think Price has much left though. The last season he really contributed to his team was 4 seasons ago and he will be turning 37 during the upcoming season. Realistic expectations for him are spot starting and long relief.
@ Semut – Your statement about Dodgers pitching is way way way too optimistic.
Kershaw, most likely getting a legacy contract, has a forearm strain. That’s not going to be magically healed because of the off-season. If he comes back, count on him being a frequent member of the IL.
Gonsolin was injured most of last year and wasn’t that effective when he returned. He started 13 games and barely averaged over 3 innings per start.
Price is not a regular starter anymore. The times he did start, he never made it to 5 innings. He couldn’t pitch in the post season due to an elbow injury. That does not bode well for health going into next season.
Dustin May is returning from TJS. He’ll be on an innings limit. Even if he makes it through the second half of the regular season, he’ll probable be held back in the postseason.
Mitch White is currently a spot starter. Perhaps they make him a regular but right not he is a 5th starter at best.
Andrew Heaney is a project. He got lit up last year and is relying on Dodgers coaching staff to balance the ship. It’s a gamble and he isn’t an absolute for the rotation either.
The Dodgers need, at least, one more starting pitcher. I just don’t know if whoever is available is a good fit for them. I thought they would land Stroman, but he surprisingly went to the Cubs who traded away many core members of their championship squad.
What a world! Ahahahaha!
There’s no doubt that Freidman is looking to add to the starting rotation because you can never have enough SP. But as of today the Dodgers have no need to be in desperation mode
SP – Buehler, Urias, Gonsolin, Heaney
***If all goes well with his rehab, May could be like adding the best arm on the market around the trade deadline
Spot Starts – Price
Youngsters who have either already or are capable of contributing at the ML Level in 22” – Mitch White, Bobby Miller, Ryan Pepiot
I don’t think those guys are ready Miller or Pepiot. White has been up but in my opinion limited upside. He can be a serviceable #5. Most likely Kershaw returns on a short-year deal, but he’s hurt and may not be ready for the season, and always possible he goes elsewhere. Not exactly thrilled about Gonsolin or Heaney. I suspect Friedman may deal for a starter.
@ mlbdodgerfan I’m kind of excited to see what the Dodgers coaching can get out of Heaney. Dude has good stuff, all the ingredients are there. And if anyone can tap into his potential it wouldnt surprise me to see the Dodgers do it. Gonsolin also has good stuff, but needs to limit the pitches. Gets ahead and then nibbles for a few pitches and ends up throwing too many, shortening his starts and giving the batter too many looks. Kersh is a big risk. I can name a bunch of guys that went the PRP route and never returned to form. I thought he’d go TJ and miss a season or two and then be ready for a strong 2 or 3 year wrap up to his career.
Meh on Heaney. He’s had too long of a sample size and really most years it’s terrible to very mediocre numbers. The good stuff argument can only last so long when the numbers don’t pan out. To me it was an odd signing to take a flyer on someone that has struggled so much and yet pay him so much.
Problem with Gonsolin is that when he doesn’t nibble he can get lit up. But when he nibbles he puts a lot of runners on base and builds up the pitch count, even when he gets out of jams, which shortens his outings and taxes the bullpen. He needs to take a big step up this season. Seems like a back end of rotation guy.
Kersh may need surgery and is indeed a risk. I wonder if he retires if PRP treatment doesn’t work. I can see him returning and Dodgers allowing him to return. But pitching wise I think he’s more like a #3 or #4 kind of guy at this point. He hasn’t aged as well as other elite pitchers.
Only two solid healthy starters are Buehler and Urias. May will be coming off surgery and a risk.
No, but Buehler, Urias, May, Gonsolin, and potentially Jansen and Kershaw can. Retaining Taylor with his versatility is huge. The Dodgers pitching staff is solid, even if they lose Kershaw and Jansen (I hope they don’t though).
This one needs to happen for the Dodgers and well earned. Would be a huge addition for any team that can play all positions and hit for power, contact and in the clutch.
Hope this happens, good for Taylor.
If the price is right I’m all in. But if it’s only a few mil less than Kris Bryan annually I’m gonna be upset. I’d rather have Bryant.
It should definitely be more than a few mil difference between the two however I would wager that who ever ends up with Bryant may regret that
I would rather have Taylor as a player. He’ll also cost a little less which can be important when constructing a roster. For instance, the Dodgers signed Daniel Husdon for $7MM and let Corey Knebel go to the Phillies for $10MM. People might say $3MM isn’t a lot of money, but doing a couple of those can lead to adding a helpful player or two.
Another thing about Taylor: The face that’s he’s probably coming back indicates he’s good with how he’s used. Unselfish
*fact that’s he’s probably…
Oh at the same price maybe KB over CT. But CT will have an AAV around 16 and KB will be at 25 or more. CT will be around four years and KB will be 7 or 8. Chris Taylor was the right person for the Dodgers to bring back. Really, Dodgers just need one more solid starting pitcher either Kershaw or Stroman or even Sonny Gray to be ready for 2022. But given how little Melancon got, a Dodgers reunion with Jansen on a one or two year deal seems likely.
Are you talking about the Dodgers? They have more money than God. If they had a $300 million dollar payroll the club would still be highly profitable. And who cares. The owners investments probably earn that much in interest each year. Stop worrying about Billionaires saving a few million which to them is like the price of a steak dinner to most Americans.
Have you seen the price of a steak dinner lately? Only billionaires can afford them now
Of course he’s good with it. Before the Dodgers gave him a chance in the OF he was stuck in the more limited role of utility infielder. The Dodgers uncorked his value and his earning capacity. How could any player not be good with that?
Lol. Right
@lebzet Luxury tax penalties get pretty heavy the longer you stay over. And the draft position you lose can lead to really thin farms if you decide to just pay the tax. At some point ALL teams that go over, no matter how much backing they have, drop under for the sake of the overall health of the franchise.
@MannyBeingMVP I was hoping Jansen would come back on a hometown discount, but looking at what Raisel Iglesias got I don’t think that’s very likely to happen now.
gulp.
Taylor can play more than one spot where can Bryant play other than 3rd?
Corner OF
Mrshyguy….Have you watched any baseball in the last few years? Bryant can play the OF decently. He has good speed for a man of his size.
Ok well Taylor can play ss, 2nd , and pretty much any where in the of and I think if needed some 3rd . I’ll take that over whatever Bryant going to get . We don’t need another “star” just very good talent for decent price
In recent years Bryant has played all three OF spots, 1B, SS, and 3B.
Bryant can’t play the middle infield. He’s only spent a few innings at SS and that was probably an emergency
@Gk Playing multiple positions is not the same as playing multiple positions well.
Taylor plays 5 positions really well.
Exactly – as a Giants fan I saw Bryant in the OF and he’s not good. One game I was at he misread three balls for hits that Yaz would have caught easy.
CF. 1B. LF. RF
He can play in the outfield.
Right, Left, Center, and First.
Every OF spot along with 1st B
Bryant has played 1B and some OF. He is not a plus defender in the OF by any means. I would definitely take Taylor’s versatility over Bryant. He’s a pretty good OF and a capable middle IF. His versatility gives their roster much more depth.
Bryant wants to be paid like a star, Taylor doesn’t
Bryant is a star, Taylor isn’t. Both great in their perspective lanes, but the only comparison you can make on the two is value for what you get. I chose Taylor from a value perspective but KB is a much better player now and moving forward.
Bryant is injury prone. Taylor is a proven playoff winner
I think Bryant is a little less than a star. A very good player, but is he a top 20 player? Because he wants to be paid like one.
Bryant no doubt is the better player in my opinion but you’d have to pay him a lot more than Taylor. I think it could have gone either way for the Dodgers to sign Taylor or not, but I think the Dodgers felt a little pressure when both Scherzer and Seager signed with other teams on the same day. They obviously knew this would happen but I’m sure they were concerned with fan reaction and retaining ticket holders, etc. Taylor is obviously a very good player and extremely versatile, but you’re now paying him a lot more money than you were before. That’s the problem that the Dodgers have been facing since last season when K Hernandez departed.
A team will be dumb enough to sign him to a deal similar to Strasburg’s even though there’s risk of Bryant, like Strasburg, being injury prone
An underrated aspect of a versatile guy like Taylor is how enhances the production of his teammates. He can fill in capably for a teammate who needs a rest, which keeps the other player fresh and more productive. In my opinion, that has enormous value over the course of a long season.
I think Taylor is one of the most underrated players in the National League
I’d probably go with Julio Urias but you’d be right too.
Bryant is overrated. Taylor is underrated.
Brayant in my opinion is top 25 hitter.
I think Bryant gets a bit more than $60 million.
Not a huge surprise. Taylor is a level-headed guy who clearly has been appreciative of his time in Los Angeles.
He’s also going to appreciate the 60-70 million they are going give him
Id appreciate any city/organization in the mlb that just gave me 64 million at age 31.
He said at the end of the playoffs that he had loved every single minute as a Dodger. It was more important to me that he return than Seager. His deal should be a fraction of the price and half the length that Seager got. But to me, Taylor is not a “fraction” of the player Seager is. He is much more than that.
So it is a wiser deal for the Dodgers. The minute Seager hired Boras, I figured he would be gone in FA. Seager is not going to age well. He has more than a “couple of injuries,” as was noted here. He had major hip surgery and hamstring and back problems, along with the arm injury. Therefore, $325 million over 10 years was way too much for him.
Well said. 100%
An early candidate for the post of the month. Per dollar, Taylor offers more production and doesn’t have a problem with moving from position to position. That’s a positive example for the young Dodger players we’ll be seeing in the years ahead. In that way, his contributions will age well even if his numbers eventually drop off. Chase Utley didn’t hit much at all for the Dodgers but was a valuable member of the team.
Taylor, Muncy, and Justin Turner. I’m thankful the Dodgers brought those three guys on board.
Actually, it was exactly the right amount for him, because that was what the market paid him.
What! You aren’t allowed to make economic sense in here.
I know, I am suitably ashamed of myself.
Finally some good news!
Much needed sign . Glad he got paid well deserved
Excellent!
This was the one free agent I felt all along they couldn’t lose. He can play all over, plays for guys who are hurt or struggling or need rest and seems to come up clinch more often than not. Really glad they got this done. They need to focus on pitching now, if Kershaw isn’t coming back you gotta at least get one more starter and one more late inning guy or closer unless Jansen is back which I doubt. I see fans on social media freaking out but this team is still stacked. Yea they need some pitching but they’ll be fine and realistically Sager was never coming back and Max most likely was a goner too. Didn’t see either of them coming back although I would’ve loved to see Max back. Both got overpaid in my opinion and it’s a good thing the Dodgers were smart in staying away from those types of contracts. Max is up there in age and Saeger has a problem staying healthy. Maybe being in the AL will be good for him. Wish both of the best though and I do think they’ll do good for both teams. Just a lot for the Dodgers who have already paid some guys and have other players coming up who need to be paid like Buehler, Urias, Bellinger. Trae Turner might be looking for an extension. They played it smart and are good shape still.
Agreed with everything you said. Taylor was more important to bring back. Seager will not age well, and he is not five times the player Taylor is…..325 versus 64 million commitment? No, thank you. SO glad to see this…
I made an error. I thought I saw he was getting $64 million but I see now that was the projected figure. Still, even if Taylor gets a little more per year, Seager is not twice the player Taylor is.
It was imperative to get Taylor back. Seager? It would have been nice but NOT at those terms.
Player value isn’t some sort of a linear relationship to their pay. A team could fill their starting rotation with cheap journeyman for instance. It might be cost-effective, but without some of those seemingly overpriced top of the rotation guys that team probably isn’t going to win anything.
Taylor is a good role model for Gavin Lux, who I still think will blossom into an excellent player. Although Lux might have more raw talent as a hitter, he can learn a great deal from Taylor’s willingness to be the versatile guy on the team. In these days of rosters with just 13 position players, it’s important to have guys who shift around without complaining. There were concerns over whether Seager would be agreeable to a move to third base. From the looks of things, the Dodgers will be able to address that need internally when the time comes.
CeyHey: I think Lux proved his value by offering to play/learn the outfield, while in the middle of a playoff run. I know it gave him an opportunity to play somewhere but outfield can be a tough nut to crack for a lifetime infielder.
He’s their Zobrist…which is important. in their lineup that always gets hurt
Wow. Making twice per year than what kike signed for last season.
Yeah but CT didn’t injure Belli.
I was kind of thinking the Astros might want to nab him up, but it’s actually good to see him stay in LA. Happy for their fans
Glad to hear this! Taylor’s versatility has him labeled as “Utility” but every Dodger watcher knows he’s much more than a fill-in. Hes been great in CF and LF, but for whatever reason has looked a bit lost in RF. You can put him anywhere on the infield and not lose anything defensively. Good speed, excellent durability, solid bat. Exactly what every team needs and I’m glad he’s staying put.
Panic move for LA. Resign Taylor to save face when he’s not an everyday player that will warrant this contract.
Wow 16 a year. Good for Taylor
I typically try to stay away from negative responses to a poster’s opinion, but this is absolutely not true in Taylor’s case. He starts somewhere in the field everyday for virtually every other MLB team.
Taylor was by far the most sign-able between him, Seager and Scherzer. I wouldn’t say panic move but if the Dodgers were 50/50 on signing Taylor I do think the negative reaction from Seager/Scherzer signings had some kind of impact on signing Taylor. Nothing on Taylor, obviously he’s a very good player and extremely valuable. It’s about roster construction, that goes beyond 2022, and optimizing the roster. $16mm is a lot more than the $7.8mm he made last year. Do I think he’s worth $16mm? Not sure these days given where salaries are going.
@ mlbdodger Havent seen the numbers yet, premature to be calling it 16m
Fair enough, but I’d think the $16mm aav is the floor though due to contracts signed so far.
Nope look at CTs stats. Good signing. Great fit. If they play 162, Dodgers will win 95 or more in 2022. Tell me which other team you can make that prediction with enough confidence to bet on it. Eg, if 162 are played, 95 wins you win a dollar and 94 wins you lose a dollar.
@angt222 “he’s not an everyday player”… Really? I watch most Dodger games and Taylor is in there pretty much every game. He may not be stuck in the same position, but he’s in there. Nice try, but Taylor warrants the contract as much as any guy ever has.
He IS basically an everyday player. He just has played several positions and not had a set one. He is in the line-up as much as anyone else. He is absolutely worth it.
Seager’s Dodger career started with 27 games in 2015. Taylor’s began with 34 games in 2016.
Total games and bWAR as a Dodger:
Seager: 636 games; bWar 21.3
Taylor 657 games; bWar 14.8
Seager is obviously the better hitter, but with the estimated $16MM per year the Dodgers are saving for “choosing” Taylor over Seager, they have the money and roster flexibility to find ways to make up for the 1.5 loss in annual bWAR and then some. I have faith that Andrew Friedman will get that done. He probably has it all mapped out.
Not sure what you consider an everyday player, but you might want to look at what the numbers say and try again.
Oh angt222, you are so wrong. Is Seager more valuable than Taylor? No! In the general scheme of things, Seager is a terrific player. But more valuable to the Dodgers, absolutely not. We have Trea Turner at SS. Without Taylor, the Dodgers cannot easily replace five or six positions should the need arise. Seager cannot do that.
Averages more than 500 PA in the last 4 full seasons but not an everyday player lol
Yeah he only played in 148 games last year.
Glad to hear we got CT he was a key free agent we had to keep
I realize with sabrmetrics batting avg isn’t valued as much as OBP now but can we really call a .277 avg, .382 OBP & .452 slugging a “hot” start?
Wouldn’t this be the equivalent of an NBA player making many trips to the FT line and saying “he’s on fire”?
Taylor’s market must not have been what he hoped or he just felt comfortable with LAD
Terms not yet announced, so you might be getting ahead of yourself.
Report was that Taylor’s camp said he really wanted to stay and money wasn’t the most important thing. Wow, how refreshing!
Damn! Damn, Damn!! Damn, DAMN, Damn, Damn!!!! I wanted him back in Seattle…Never should’ve gave up on him in the 1st place!!!
@Rosstradamus – Zach Lee is a free agent. Maybe Seattle can fix him with better analytics.
I’m guessing 4/75. Lots of interest in him
Yuge!
Now go get a frontline starter, sign Freeman, and re-sign Joc.
Freddy and Joc? Who do you bench to play those guys? Makes no sense, and Friedman’s moves make sense.
Joc is depth and would fill the role hitting against RH pitching, much as he did the last few years in LA. You’re really signing him for the postseason, since he’s pretty mediocre from April-September.
Freeman replaces Muncy at first while he rehabs his UCL tear. With Seager gone, Trea Turner slides over to his natural position of SS, while Lux plays 2B. Once Muncy returns, he slots in at 2B, making Lux a depth piece or a trade chip.
This actually makes TOO MUCH sense so probably won’t happen.
Muncy will be ready for opening day, according to the Dodgers.
I’ll believe it when I see it. I remember that Belli was only going to miss a couple of weeks after that HBP last year and it wound up being much longer AND he wasn’t really right until the postseason.
That is all we’ve been told. Everything else is pure guesswork.
@AshamedMethGoat, Why do you choose to be negative. I’ve noticed there’s a large segment of Dodger fans who do that. This is the best-run organization in the game. Everything will be fine. It doesn’t make any sense to aggravate yourself over nothing. Seriously, I’ve been a Dodger fan since 1968 and this is by far the best era for the franchise during that time. Year after year, every game they play is meaningful.
By the way, I’m not really interested in a reunion with Joc. While I appreciate his contributions to the Dodgers, his deteriorating defense and lack of speed detract from his overall value.
I absolutely agree that the Dodgers FO is one of the two or three best in the game.
While I think the Btaves should give Freeman 6 years/190 million, no reason for the Dodgers to do it.
I would sooner have the Dodgers trade Gavin Lux and Diego Cartaya for Olson, which is also unnecessary. That only works if there is a DH slot for Turner and Muncy slides to 3B. This is a 106 or 107 win team that lost Kershaw, Jansen and Knebel. Seager was upgraded to Trea for 2022. Knebel was replaced with Hudson. Dodgers just need one more starter, either Kershaw or someone else good. Jansen would be a luxury but Treinan would be fine.
I wouldn’t trade those two regardless of the DH. They figure to be big parts of the team’s future. That said, ongoing discussions between the Dodgers and A’s wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Just sit tight and watch what Friedman comes up with. I’m sure we’ll be happy in the end.
Re starters: I agree they need to get one if not two. Don’t forget May will be back in August (though maybe not ready to be a starter) and Bobby Miller appears to be on the fast track. Since the Dodgers will almost certainly be in the playoff mix, they can make further upgrades at next year’s trade deadline.
Re Jansen: I agree he would be more of a luxury at this point. But if the Dodgers re-sign him, the final two years/$16MM of Treinen’s contract would have enormous trade value. Meanwhile, it will be nice having Ferguson and Kahnle back from the IL.
I have been a Dodger fan since 1953. Geez! I cannot believe I actually posted that for all to see. Anyway, Friedman is an outstanding FO guy. The Dodgers just got the one player back that we truly needed. Will miss Max and Seager but paying that price would have been inexcusable.
I like Joc as a platoon LF and overall depth. I think he can still be productive against RH pitching and provides much needed lefty bat. Defense won’t be great though.
Yeah they both had the same injury right?
Not surprised they overpaid. They’ve taken a big hit so far.
Hasn’t every team signing big FAs overpaid this offseason? Texas spent half a billion on two players. They didn’t overpay? Mets didn’t overpay for $43 million a year? Taylor was the most important position player for them to retain.
I have only seen a couple deals that were less than I expected. Melancon 2 yrs/14 mil, I thought 1 yr/12 mil. I thought Gausman would get a couple million more than he did.
Dodgers aren’t at their own level anymore… idk Even think they are a top 3 team as currently constructed…
Still better than the Mets.
I concur. Mets are an old team with maybe one healthy starter. I don’t know if they can count on deGrom, Carrasco or Peterson as being healthy until spring training, if then.
The Mets are now the oldest team in baseball by a comfortable margin.
So close to a coherent sentence MetsFan22. Keep working on it, my friend.
Best comp would probably be zobrist. Hell of a Swiss army knife.
Yes Zobrist and Taylor are very similar players. Both play just about every position and seem to be pretty clutch
Better than paying Seager.
Love the salary and I am happy they are bringing CT3 back. I just hope Friedman isn’t done today. Need a starter and a first baseman because if today was opening day, Edwin Rios, coming off a missed year is our first baseman. I like Edwin, but there is no guarantee he is 100%
Terms not yet announced.
@grabarkewitz, There’s plenty of time before whenever spring training starts. Andrew Friedman has proven to be a master at assessing the market and waiting for the right time to strike. Patience is a virtue and he has played that game well in the past, much to the delight of Dodger fans. I am not worried even a tiny bit.
Today is Dec. 1, NOT Opening Day. Building a lineup on the premise that “If today was opening day” is pretty shaky baseball. And I’m confident that if Muncy cant answer the call when opening day actually comes we have a guy named Bellinger that is very solid at 1st.
I agree with you, although I see what point he/she is trying to make. The Dodgers still have holes to fill and they hope that the Dodgers will still go out and make some moves
Eh, there aren’t that many holes. A starting pitcher, for sure. Maybe another outfielder if Bellinger has to spend time at 1B until Muncy returns. There are no other glaring weaknesses, though you can bet Friedman will find ways to make the team better. As things now stand, I can’t think of another MLB roster I’d rather have.
The hole at the top of the rotation is huge, and it won’t get a lot smaller even if Kershaw is re-signed. Is anyone still left on the boards who can fill it? Seager’s offensive output is almost impossible to replace.
Well, they do have Trea Turner to play short now. Turner is a great SS who runs extremely fast/well. He also can handle the bat, as he’s proven by hitting .328 in 2021(.303 in his career). Definitely puts pressure on the opposing team and is a very valuable player. The Dodgers are fools to not extend him before he hits FA at the end of 2022
@Cey Hey
You are right. They don’t have too many holes, although we saw in 2021 that they didn’t have as much depth as everyone expected. 106 wins definitely is quite the accomplishment, don’t get me wrong, but if they didn’t have so many injuries I wouldn’t have been surprised to see them over 110(yes I know it sounds crazy but it’s the Dodgers)
I know what the Dodgers have in T. Turner but my point is they had both Seager and him in the lineup for the last few months. And FWIW the Dodgers rarely extend anybody.
Exactly. It’s not like Gavin Lux is going to put up Seager type of numbers. Let’s face it the Dodgers will continue to decline in overall talent unless either of two things happen. (1) They spend like crazy way over $300mm to $350mm which we know won’t happen; or (2) They find ridiculous cheap production options like they have in the past with guys like J Turner, M Muncy, C. Taylor or young talent like Seager, Bellinger, Buehler, W. Smith in their early days, etc. I don’t think fans realize how abnormal the Dodgers run has been in terms of sustaining that type of talent level. It’s simply not sustainable. At some points the cheap guys have to get paid, and if you can’t replenish that cheaper talent you can’t sustain. Happens frequently and unfortunately this is the beginning of the decline for the Dodgers unless…Let’s see how it plays out.
Taylor in center? Belli at first?
While I could have seen him going to a team like the Giants or Mariners I can’t say I didn’t expect him to remain in LA. They’ve treated him pretty well and they would have been so foolish to not resign him
Really glad to see LA keeping Taylor in the fold. Solid signing and worth every penny – hustles every day, versatile, consistent, durable, and a solid citizen. Imo his loss would have been more significant to this team than the loss of Seager. FO knows what they’re doing despite the Bauer fiasco.
this guarantees the yankees will be playing some journeyman pirate castoff in centerfield once hicks gets hurt
They’ll bring Gardner back. He didn’t decline his player option for nothing. 1.5M ( plus his 1.15M buyout ).
Has anyone heard anything on the Tio Albert front? I haven’t seen anything. If price is right, bring him back to help out at first if Muncy does miss the start of the season?
Since Albert won’t be signed by anyone before the lockout, the Dodgers can wait out the Muncy thing. The worst thing about that is Max won’t have access to team doctors during the lockout. But given the Dodgers’ penchant for planning out everything, something has probably been arranged to assure he gets the best care possible. How the Dodgers handle player health situations is what makes them an attractive destination for rehabbing players. We Dodger fans should be proud of that.
Boring ! Sign Freddy Freeman !
Pure guess: 5yrs/13.5 AAV/67.5 M. Maybe went to 70M.
The Seager v Taylor debate (above) does not make much sense to me. Still need a big bat to replace Seager.
And that bat probably needs to be LH – especially with the news about Max’s elbow and really not being able to count on Bellinger’s bat. Which is why the Freeman and Olson rumors make sense.
Had a feeling Taylor coming back. Why? Not really playing out in the media the way other free agents were!! Which means Freidman is serious!
MISSED IT BY THAT [ = ] MUCH !!
According to informed sources, The Marlins were in on Chris Taylor right up until he signed the deal to join the Dodgers.. The Marlins made a “strong” offer, but not one that matched the Dodgers’ financial commitment. The Marlins weren’t the only team to be outbid.
The Minnesota Twins had also been linked to Taylor.
Wanted the Marlins to get him. Oh well!
Glad Chris got his contract. I spoke to David Wright who was from Chris’s area inVA and worked out wirh him in the off season early in Chris’s career and late in David’s. Davvid wishes the Mets could have acquired Chris prior to his trade to the Dodgers, but theMets scouts at the time didn’t see Wright’s vision ( and look how it turned out.). Good for Chris. He’s a good guy too.
Great deal on both sides.
Tigers should have signed him.
Taylor’s playoff performance helped him achieve a better contract. The timing was great. He has become a very good player and will earn this money. I wish him continued success. L.A. fans should cheer this signing.
Very pleased for Chris and the Dodgers! Nice to see hard work, discipline, positive energy and leadership rewarded!
Guess QO’ing a player isn’t disrespectful and doesn’t guarantee that he won’t sign with you after all *cough* Kershaw *cough* *cough*
Which doesn’t apply to why Kershaw wasn’t given a QO. He wasn’t given a QO because the Dodgers knew Kershaw needed more time to decide what he even wants to do with his future. Giving him a QO would have forced him to make a preliminary decision, before he was ready to do so. That was it, plain and simple. They did it to respect Kershaw’s decision process, not to avoid the supposed “disrespect” of giving him a QO.
Giving Kershaw a QO doesn’t stop him from “deciding what he wants to do with his future.” Nor does it “force him to make” any decision or “disrespect his decision process.” He doesn’t have to accept it if he doesn’t want to. All it does is give the Dodgers insurance against him leaving.
Hate hate, HATE seeing Seager go, but if the Dodgers can sign Freeman? I’m good with it, especially knowing Taylor is back. You now have depth to let Max Muncey heal properly and likely be the DH, along with JT, for 2022. Keep Lux, sign another starter or two. and let’s go!
Can’t have both Turner and Seager
4/60 is less than I thought it would be given all the crazy deals the last couple of weeks.
Was thinking 5/90+ was possible.
The fifth year includes a $4M buyout so the 4/64 projection from MLBTR turned out to be spot on.
I think it’d blow to be a Dodgers fan this winter. They basically have to resign Taylor, Scherzer (Mets), Kershaw, Jansen, Kelly, Seager (Rangers), just to break even. Although Kelly’s easily replaceable. I thought JTurner only signed a 1-year deal last winter, but apparently not because I don’t think he’s a FA. I think he may have signed a 3-year deal.
@dsett Here’s how this Dodger fan sees it:
Max was just a hired gun. He was always going to follow the money. Seager will be missed, but Trea is actually a better SS. Maybe not the power Seager has, but overall game I’d say is a slight upgrade.. Although I love Kersh, he is clearly past his prime as has moved into the “often injured” category. Solid when healthy, but the price has to be sane. Kelly pitched really well, and that is not easily replaced. But he may have blown out his elbow in that last appearance.
I’m not a Dodgers fan but I have full confidence in their wealth of resources to field an elite team again. They knew Seager was moving on when they traded for Turner.. So much depends on the Bauer outcome, but right now LA has significant space in payroll to make a splash before season starts. Think about your favorite young players on bad teams approaching 6 yrs in league? They could be Dodgers soon..
I feel quite certain the same $325M and ten years that landed Seager in Texas would have kept him in LA. It was the Dodgers who were moving on from him. The very fact that they weren’t even in that contest tells me payroll is a limitation this year. If they can bring Kershaw back, that would probably be the biggest splash we can expect. The $300M payroll that would be required for a bigger splash probably isn’t happening.
Great deal for both sides. Very happy he is back in Dodger blue.
Taylor is the type of guy whose jersey I would gladly buy and wear.
Heck of a lot of money for a glorified utility player.
He would be a star on your team.
Players that can play competently at the MLB level all around the diamond are hard to find, nice signing. Dodgers are looking good up the middle.
How many players can effectively play outfield and infield like Taylor can? This was a good signing. Taylor is exceptionally athletic and does not spend significant time on the IL. With news breaking yesterday of Max Muncy’s ligament injury, Bellinger may need to start the season at 1B and Taylor in the OF.
Now to get starting pitching…
He has been a decent utility man/role player, career .260 hitter Then he hits 3 HRs in a playoff game, and now he’s talked about constantly like one of the top FAs on the market? Well, I guess so this offseason, the way money is being thrown around……
He would be the best player and most valuable on your team.
Taylor makes his money in the post season where he enjoys being clutch. He is good defender but way over rated hitter who K’s way too often.
254/.344/.438 with 20 homers are Wil Myers numbers at 70% the cost.
The worst thing about the lockout is no more hot stove. Nada for months. I feel bad for MLBTR and all of us hardcore fans. Oh well, we got used to nothing (sort of) during 2020. Hopefully there will be lots of interesting minor league signings in the coming months.
Does Price’s full salary count towards the luxury tax even if Boston pays a portion? With all the guys they’re losing I’m confused how they’re already over…surely Bauer’s salary won’t count.
Only the portion the Dodgers are paying counts. The other portion counts against the Red Sox.
Nice deal.
Love Taylor, but I really hope this isn’t the biggest move we make.