Dodgers face backlash from fans after DFA’ing Chris Taylor

Having first signed for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016, utility player Chris Taylor has spent nine seasons with the team. In the time he's spent in LA, Taylor has won two World Series titles and earned himself one All-Star selection in 2021.

Of late, playing time has been quite limited for the veteran, as evidenced by his stats, having recorded only two RBIs with seven total hits so far this season. On Sunday, reports emerged that the Dodgers had decided to designate Taylor for assignment.

Shortly after the announcement was made, 'Talkin' Baseball' informed fans about the big news via X (formerly Twitter).

"For the first time since 2016, Chris Taylor is no longer a Dodger," the post was captioned.

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Reacting to the post, several fans expressed their disappointment towards the Dodgers for their decision, claiming the organization didn't 'stay loyal' to one of their most experienced players.

"Unloyal franchise, nobody should go play for them," a fan wrote.

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"No loyalty in this business," another fan commented.

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"Typical for the Dodgers use them up. Toss them aside 🤬 just like the Yankees. They have no loyalty to its players. when they’re done they’re done. That’s sad," another fan replied.

"Wow. I thought he’d be a Dodger forever," another fan responded.

"Sad but thats the cost of having a team that spends so much on talent. Everyone else is expendible," another fan shared.

"That’s f**ked up," another fan posted.

Chris Taylor talks about 'life-changing' move to the Dodgers

Having arrived in LA via a trade on June 19, 2016, former Seattle Mariners star Chris Taylor has seen his career go from strength to strength wearing the famous Dodger Blue.

Appearing on the 'Dodgers Territory Show' in late January, Chris Taylor reflected on the 'life-changing' journey he has enjoyed ever since he made that fateful move.

"Yeah, it was life-changing (moving to the Dodgers), to say the least," Taylor said (16:30 onwards). "Not only for my baseball career, but for my entire life. LA is my home now. I met my wife here, and we have a 14-month-old son."

"That one day of getting traded to the Dodgers completely transformed my life in the best way possible, and I’m so thankful for that. I truly believe that was fate, and I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to be a Dodger and live in this city. It’s been unbelievable," he added.

Now set to leave the club almost nine years after joining, Chris Taylor's departure represents the end of an era of sorts for Dodgers fans.

About the author

Raghav Mehta is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda awaiting results for a Bachelor's in Journalism from Delhi University. He enjoys highlighting the key battles between players at different stages of the game and analyzing the decisive moments upon which they hinge.

One of Raghav's favorite moments, which underscores this, was the Shohei Ohtani vs. Mike Trout clash in the 2023 WBC, where two of baseball's best players faced off against each other in the 9th inning. With the score 3-2 to Japan, Shohei eventually got the strikeout, which was absolute cinema.

Raghav is a Baltimore Orioles fan and is enjoying watching such an exciting young team compete at the top in a very competitive division.

Raghav has loved watching sports for as long as he can remember and realized he was pretty decent at writing his thoughts down at around the age of 14. Combining the two meant he had something he would enjoy doing every day, and he had identified that well before going to college.

Aside from work, Raghav enjoys playing sports, working out and watching movies.

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Edited by Pritha Ghosh