Dodgers fans know the likely reality of Chris Taylor's injury timeline all too well

Just 10 days into his tenure with the Los Angeles Angels, former Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Chris Taylor has landed on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left hand. Taylor sustained the injury when he was hit by a pitch in the Angels' win over the Athletics on Monday, and his stint on the IL is all but guaranteed to exceed the minimum of 10 days.

Taylor was released by the Dodgers three weeks ago when Tommy Edman was activated off the 10-day IL. The Dodgers remain on the hook for the remainder of Taylor's $13 million salary for 2025 (about $9 million), as well as the buyout of his $4 million option for 2026. The prorated league minimum salary Taylor is being paid by the Angels, who signed him shortly after his release, will be subtracted from the final amount owed to him by the Dodgers.

Dodgers fans know the reality of Chris Taylor's injury timeline

Taylor was a prominent figure in the Dodgers' success over the past decade whose reputation had been significantly marred by his struggles at the plate over the past few seasons. From Opening Day 2022 until the day of his release, he managed just a .222/.307/.369 slash line over 1,119 plate appearances and ultimately saw a dramatic reduction in his playing time as a result.

It seemed as though he was already headed for a similar fate with the Angels in his short time there, considering he had already racked up twice as many strikeouts (13) as he had hits (6) in just 10 games. In his last five games, though, it appeared that Taylor's offense might be getting back on track as he hit .313 with his first home run as a member of the Angels.

However, it looks like we'll never know whether whether these last few games for Taylor were just a random hot streak or the start of a real turnaround. Hand fractures are tricky, and Mookie Betts missed almost two months with a similar issue last year. Taylor's heater might be rudely interrupted and delayed all the way until mid-August. We'll wait for official word from the Angels, but Dodgers fans are well aware of just how long these painful accidents can linger (and Taylor surely is, too).

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