Dodgers vs. Cubs: Who has the Edge?

Third Base: Kris Bryant vs. Justin Turner

Kris Bryant is the reigning National League MVP. With only two seasons under his belt, Bryant has already made a strong case for being one of the best players in baseball. Bryant has shown the ability to hit for power as soon as he burst onto the scene.

One issue he did have (like many power hitters) was strikeouts. But in 2016 he was able to make the adjustments necessary to drop his strikeout total from 199 to 154 in more AB’s. If Bryant continues to improve he might just be the best player in baseball as he is already the best player on this Cubs roster.

Justin Turner, the former utility man, finally got a chance to be an everyday starter and he ran with it. The Southern California native has grown on this fan base and for a good reason. He has absolutely mashed the baseball since getting a shot. Turner is currently the MLB leader in batting average. Last season he hit .275 while putting 27 balls over the fence. Turner seemed to get the big hit whenever the Dodgers needed it and his season can be summed up with one hit: The triple in Game 5 of the NLDS series. That was the hit that eventually led the Dodgers to victory.

Verdict

Once again both players are phenomenal, Bryant and Turner are both forces with their bats. They also both are great defensively. On offense, the edge goes to Kris Bryant, and on defense, the edge goes to Turner. But the gap on offense is larger than the difference on defense. Thus Bryant narrowly edges out Turner and gives the Cubs the edge at third base. Turner is a great player, but much like Seager, Bryant is a special talent in this league and a reigning MVP.

Cubs, Chicago leads 3-1