Christopher Armand Taylor Jr. (born August 29, 1990), nicknamed "CT3", is an American
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
utility player
In sports, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently. Sports in which the term is often used include association football, American football, baseball, rugby union, rugby league, softball, ice hockey, and water polo.
The ...
for the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB). He previously played in MLB for the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
. He played
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
for the
Virginia Cavaliers
The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as ''Wahoos'' or ''Hoos'', are the athletic teams representing the University of Virginia, located in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers compete at the NCAA Division I level ( FBS for football), in the Atlantic C ...
. Taylor was selected in the fifth round of the
2012 MLB draft
The 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 4 through June 6, 2012, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Houston Astros, with the first overall pick, selected Carlos Correa from the Puerto R ...
, and made his MLB debut with the Mariners in 2014. Traded to the Dodgers, Taylor won the
National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award
The League Championship Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players deemed to have the most impact on their teams' performances in each of the two respective League Championship Series that ...
in 2017, was a member of the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
champions in 2020, and was an
All-Star in 2021.
Early life
Amateur career
Taylor attended Great Neck Middle School in
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
, where he was on the
wrestling
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
team, and won a city wrestling championship. When he attended
Frank W. Cox High School
Frank W. Cox High School is a secondary school located in the Great Neck subdivision of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Virginia Beach, Virginia. It was founded in 1961 as the Northeast Junior High School, but upon opening, it was named after a former s ...
, also in Virginia Beach, he stopped wrestling to focus on baseball. He was named the All-
Tidewater region
Tidewater refers to the north Atlantic coastal plain region of the United States of America.
Definition
Culturally, the Tidewater region usually includes the low-lying plains of southeast Virginia, northeastern North Carolina, southern Mary ...
player of the year in 2009.
Taylor was recruited to play
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
by the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
and the
College of William & Mary
The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III ...
. He chose to attend Virginia, and played college baseball for the
Virginia Cavaliers baseball
The Virginia Cavaliers baseball team represents the University of Virginia in NCAA Division I college baseball. Established in 1889, the team participates in the Coastal division of the Atlantic Coast Conference and plays its home games at Daven ...
team, competing in the
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
(ACC). In his freshman year, Taylor played sparingly as Tyler Cannon, an All-ACC
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
, received most of the playing time. In the summer of 2010, he played for the
Newport Gulls
The Newport Gulls are a wooden-bat, collegiate summer baseball team based in Newport, Rhode Island. The Newport Gulls Baseball Club is a member of both the New England Collegiate Baseball League and the NECBL's Coastal Division. Since 2001, the Gu ...
of the
NECBL. In his sophomore year, Stephen Bruno was named the Cavaliers' starting shortstop at the beginning of the season, and Taylor began the year as the team's
right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the ...
. Taylor became the starting shortstop when Bruno suffered a
hamstring
In human anatomy, a hamstring () is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in between the hip and the knee (from medial to lateral: semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris). The hamstrings are susceptible to injury.
In quadrupeds, ...
injury, and retained the job after Bruno recovered.
[ In 2011, he hit a two-out, men on second and third single to score the tying and winning runs in the decisive game of the Charlottesville Super Regional against ]UC Irvine
UC may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''University Challenge'', a popular British quiz programme airing on BBC Two
** '' University Challenge (New Zealand)'', the New Zealand version of the British programme
* Universal Century, one of the ti ...
and send the Cavaliers to the College World Series
The College World Series (CWS), officially the NCAA Men's College World Series (MCWS), is an annual baseball tournament held in June in Omaha, Nebraska. The MCWS is the culmination of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divisi ...
. In 2011, he played collegiate summer baseball
Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...
in the Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over one thousan ...
for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.
Professional career
Minor leagues
The Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
selected Taylor in the fifth round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft
The 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 4 through June 6, 2012, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Houston Astros, with the first overall pick, selected Carlos Correa from the Puerto R ...
.[ He began his professional career in Minor League Baseball at the Rookie level, but was soon promoted to Class A, primarily playing shortstop. In 2013, Taylor played for the ]High Desert Mavericks
The High Desert Mavericks were an American Minor League Baseball team in Adelanto, California, that played their home games at Heritage Field at Stater Bros. Stadium. They played in the Class A-Advanced California League. The franchise had eight ...
of the Class A-Advanced
High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
California League
The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leag ...
and Jackson Generals
The Jackson Generals were a professional baseball team located in Jackson, Tennessee. From 1998 to 2020, they were a part of Minor League Baseball's Southern League (1964–2020), Southern League (SL) as the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliat ...
of the Class AA
Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League ...
Southern League, finishing the season with a combined .314 batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
, 165 hits (eighth-best in Minor League Baseball), eight home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s, 60 runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
(RBIs), 108 runs scored
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls ...
, and 38 stolen bases
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or ...
while playing shortstop and second base. After the season, the Mariners assigned Taylor to the Peoria Javelinas
The Peoria Javelinas are a baseball team that plays in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. The Javelinas play their home games in the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona. The ballpark is also the spring training facility for the Sa ...
of the Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fill ...
, and named him their minor league player of the year. He hit .294 with Peoria, and had a .351 on-base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batter reaches base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA), as it is rarely presented as a ...
, while playing second base and shortstop.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners invited Taylor to spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
in 2014. Following spring training, he was assigned to the Tacoma Rainers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, which opened in 1960 ...
of the Class AAA
Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL ...
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
(PCL). He appeared in the Triple-A All-Star Game
The Triple-A All-Star Game was an annual baseball game held from 1988 to 2019 between professional players from the affiliated Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball. These leagues were the International League (IL) and Pacific Coast League ( ...
, and was named the PCL's Top Star. After batting .328 with five home runs, 37 RBIs, and 63 runs scored in 75 games while playing shortstop and second base, the Mariners promoted Taylor to the major leagues on July 24 to replace the injured Willie Bloomquist
Willie Paul Bloomquist (; born November 27, 1977) is an American baseball coach and former utility player, who is the current head baseball coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils. He played college baseball at Arizona State for coach Pat Murphy f ...
who was placed on the 15-day disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
, where he played shortstop, second base, and third base. He collected his first major-league hit, a single, on the same day against the Baltimore Orioles.
During spring training in 2015, Taylor fractured his wrist when he was hit by a pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provided ...
. After he recovered from his injury, he began the 2015 season with AAA Tacoma, playing shortstop and second base. He would have a stint with the Mariners later in the year, but was sent back to Tacoma after RHP Mayckol Guaipe
Mayckol Guaipe (; born August 11, 1990) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners.
Career
Seattle Mariners
Guaipe was signed by the Seattle Mariners as an undrafted f ...
was called up. For the 2015 major league season, he batted .170/.220/.223 with no home runs and one RBI in 94 at bats, while playing shortstop, second base, and third base
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
. On May 21, 2016 Chris was recalled from AAA Tacoma to replace the injured Ketel Marte
Ketel Ricardo Marte Valdez (born October 12, 1993) is a Dominican professional baseball second baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Seattle Mariners. Marte made his MLB debut with the ...
.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On June 19, 2016, the Mariners traded Taylor to the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
in exchange for Zach Lee
Zachary Stephen Lee (born September 13, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him in the first round (28th overall) of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft and signed him for $5.25 m ...
. Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
General Manager Jerry Dipoto
Gerard Peter Dipoto (born May 24, 1968) is an American baseball executive and former professional player. He is currently the President of Baseball Operations for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball and previously worked in front office ...
would later regret making this trade by calling it "clearly the worst deal I've ever made."
On July 15, 2016, Taylor hit his first major league career home run, a grand slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
, off Silvino Bracho
Silvino Bracho (born July 17, 1992) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher in the Cincinnati Reds organization. Bracho was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011 as an amateur free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the Diamon ...
of the Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. He also had a double, a triple, drove in six runs, and fell just short of hitting for the cycle
In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter who hits a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are rare in Major League Ba ...
. He was the third Dodgers player in history to have his first career homer be a grand slam (Preston Ward
Preston Meyer Ward (July 24, 1927 – June 2, 2013) was an American professional baseball first baseman who appeared in 744 games over nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1948 and 1959 for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Pitts ...
in 1948
Events January
* January 1
** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated.
** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect.
** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...
and Chico Fernández
Humberto "Chico" Fernández Pérez (March 2, 1932 – June 11, 2016) was a Cuban professional baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball ( MLB) with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers and New York Mets from ...
in 1956
Events
January
* January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan.
* January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim ...
) and the third Dodgers second baseman to have at least six RBIs in a game (Billy Herman
William Jennings Bryan Herman (July 7, 1909 – September 5, 1992) was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1930s and 1940s. Known for his stellar defense and consistent batting, Herman still holds many ...
in 1943
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured.
* January 4 – ...
and Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line ...
in 1949
Events
January
* January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022.
* January 2 – Luis ...
). He played in 34 games for the Dodgers in 2016, hitting .207/.258/362 with one home run and 7 RBIs, primarily playing shortstop.
2017
Taylor did not make the club out of spring training in 2017, and was assigned to Oklahoma City to begin the season, for whom he batted .233/.327/.442 with one home run and 5 RBIs in 43 at bats. He was recalled to the Dodgers on April 19. On July 6, against the Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
, Taylor hit his first career walk-off hit, driving in Logan Forsythe
John Logan Forsythe (born January 14, 1987) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers and Mia ...
to win the game 5-4. For the 2017 season, he batted .288/.354/.496 with 21 home runs and 72 RBIs and 142 strikeouts in 514 at bats, splitting time between center field, left field, second base, shortstop, and third base.
On October 14, 2017, Taylor hit his first career postseason home run, off Héctor Rondón
Héctor Luis Rondón (born February 26, 1988) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, and Arizona Diamondbacks. Rondón signed as an international fre ...
of the Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
, in Game 1 of the 2017 National League Championship Series
The 2017 National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers against the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs for the National League pennant and the right to play in the 2017 World Series. The ...
(NLCS). Taylor and Justin Turner
Justin Matthew Turner (born November 23, 1984) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets and Los Angeles Dod ...
were selected as the co- MVPs of the NLCS. On October 24, Taylor hit a home run on the first pitch by Astros' pitcher Dallas Keuchel
Dallas Keuchel (, ; born January 1, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Texas Ran ...
to begin Game 1 of the 2017 World Series
The 2017 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2017 season. The 113th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the ...
. Overall, in the 2017 post-season, Taylor hit .254 with three home runs and seven RBI
in 15 games as the Dodgers controversially lost the World Series in seven games.[
]
2018
In his third season with the Dodgers, Taylor posted a .254/.331/.444 slashline with 17 home runs, 63 RBIs and 9 stolen bases in 604 plate appearances, and led the National League with 178 strikeouts. He reached career highs in games played (155), runs scored (85), doubles (35), triples (8), and walks (55). With teammate Corey Seager
Corey Drew Seager (born April 27, 1994), nicknamed "Seags", is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Seager was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the 2012 Ma ...
missing most of the season due to a right UCL strain, requiring Tommy John Surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
, Taylor spent the majority of the season at shortstop (81 games, 73 starts). He also played center field (50 games, 32 starts), left field (24 games, 18 starts), second base (12 games, 5 starts), and third base (8 games, 3 starts). On September 10, 2018, Taylor was selected to represent MLB in the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series. In the post-season, Taylor had only one hit in four at-bats in the 2018 NLDS
The 2018 National League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series to determine the participating teams of the 2018 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners (seeded first through third) and a fourth team—the Wild ...
, but his hit was a homer. In the 2018 NLCS
The 2018 National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the Milwaukee Brewers against the Los Angeles Dodgers, for the National League (NL) pennant and the right to play in the 2018 World Series against the AL Champions ...
, he had eight hits in 22 at-bats and in the 2018 World Series, he had two hits in 18 at-bats.[
]
2019
In 2019, Taylor returned to his utility role, playing in 124 games (which included 39 at shortstop during another period that Seager was on the injured list). He hit .262/.333/.462 with 12 homers and 52 RBIs, and 115 strikeouts in 366 at bats.[
]
2020
On February 7, 2020, Taylor signed a two-year, $13.4 million, contract extension with the Dodgers, avoiding salary arbitration. The season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, but Taylor was the Dodgers primary second baseman, appearing in 56 of the 60 games the team played, and batting .270/.366/.476 with eight homers and 32 RBIs.[ In the posteason, he had one hit in eight at-bats in the ]Wild Card Series
The Wild Card Series (formerly known as Wild Card Game from 2012 to 2019 and in 2021) are games that serve as the opening round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Major League Baseball postseason, postseason. A single wild card game was first ...
, was hitless in 11 at-bats in the NLDS
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
, had three hits in 18 at-bats in the NLCS and in the World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
had five hits, including a home run, in 23 at-bats.[ Taylor received his first championship ring, as the Dodgers defeated the ]Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
4–2 to win their first championship since 1988.
2021
Taylor was selected to represent the Dodgers at the All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
, his first All-Star appearance. During the regular season, he batted .254/.344/.438 with 20 home runs, 73 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 148 games.[
On October 6, 2021, Taylor hit a two-out, two-run, walk-off home run against the ]St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
in the National League Wild Card game. On October 21, 2021, Taylor hit three home runs in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
, becoming the first player in MLB history to hit three home runs in an elimination game.
On December 1, Taylor re-signed with the Dodgers with a four-year contract worth $60 million, which also contained a team option for a fifth year.
2022
In 2022, Taylor played in 118 games for he Dodgers (with the majority of them being in the outfield), and batted .221 with 10 homers and 43 RBIs.[
]
Personal life
Taylor's father, Chris Sr., and grandfather, Armand, attended Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
, where they competed on the wrestling team.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Chris
1990 births
Living people
Baseball players from Virginia
Clinton LumberKings players
Everett AquaSox players
High Desert Mavericks players
Jackson Generals (Southern League) players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball center fielders
Major League Baseball left fielders
Major League Baseball second basemen
Major League Baseball shortstops
Major League Baseball third basemen
National League Championship Series MVPs
Oklahoma City Dodgers players
Peoria Javelinas players
Seattle Mariners players
Sportspeople from Virginia Beach, Virginia
Tacoma Rainiers players
Virginia Cavaliers baseball players
Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox players
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players