Dodgers: Four Players Who Stepped Up in Month of May

Chase Utley

As Ken Jeong introduced him, the “Silver Fox” has come alive at the right time. With Justin Turner and Joc Pederson out, Chase Utley will see much more time at second. Despite getting off to a bad start, he’s proving himself to be reliable when the Dodgers need him the most.

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For a while, Utley was looked at as a waste of a roster spot. However, his leadership and clubhouse presence were too valuable to throw away. Now he’s given everyone another reason to stay on the roster. In May, he’s batting .306, which shoots his average above the Mendoza Line. He hit home runs in back-to-back games against the Cubs and hit his third in four games yesterday. He has smacked a few key hits throughout May.

Utley’s timing of his performance is another example of the “next man up” mentality this 2017 Dodgers club has shown. Last season, the Dodgers were blindsided with so many injuries, and despite running on pure will until the NLCS, they eventually ran out of gas.

Next: Front Office Looking Like Geniuses

This year, it seems everyone in the clubhouse is ready for their shot to contribute. This may be the factor that will get the Dodgers further into the postseason.