Dodgers: Improvements That Can Take the Team to its Full Potential

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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 31: First baseman Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers and center fielder Chris Taylor #3 celebrate after Bellinger was driven in by catcher Kyle Farmer #17 in the 4th inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on March 31, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

Improved Play from Chris Taylor and Cody Bellinger

Two of the reasons that the Dodgers were so great last year were because of this duo. They came out of nowhere and sparked the offense into a high-octane one. However, they have not been able to replicate their success.

Regression was expected, but not to this extent. In Chris Taylor’s case, he has been better recently, compared to a brutal April. He has shown signs of returning to form, having an OPS as high as .815 on June 5. It currently sits at an above-average .777, still an improvement from April due to a .843 OPS in May and .796 in June.

He has been in a bit of a power drought though, last hitting his eighth home run back on June 1 and just three extra-base hits since. But, he is walking more than 2017 and striking out about the same. His groundball flyball rates have moved in the right direction compared to 2017 and type of contact has incrementally improved. It feels like it is only a matter of time before he catches fire again.

Cody Bellinger’s regression has been more surprising considering his pedigree and the absolute show he put on in 2017. His struggles got to the point that it looked like a sophomore slump was instore instead of a bad stretch.

But then he responded with a four-game stretch where he went 6-13 with five walks and four straight home runs, putting the concerns to bed. But since then, he has gone 5-28 with 16 strikeouts. Yes, 16. On the season, his OPS sits at .778, which is above-average but a far cry from last year’s .933.

Both Taylor and Bellinger need to step their game up if the Dodgers’ lineup wants to be fully functioning. It won’t be 100% because of Corey Seager’s absence. But different people have stepped up to help alleviate some of it. To make the lineup truly dangerous, the Dodgers need at least 85% of 2017 Chris Taylor and Cody Bellinger, preferably 100%.

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