Dodgers insider fears Austin Barnes, Chris Taylor losses will haunt LA down the road

The Los Angeles Dodgers parted ways with two of their veteran voices in the clubhouse, and the Orange County Register's Bill Plunkett (subscription required) doesn't like it. Both Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes were handed their walking papers earlier this month as the Dodgers transferred the reins over to some of their young talent. Was that a mistake?

Plunkett sure thinks so. The columnist believes that LA's shortsighted moves to part with Taylor and Barnes will affect the team's chemistry going forward. Given the Dodgers' recent struggles, he might have a point.

No one should feel sorry for Taylor or Barnes. Both players stayed well past their expiration date and were paid handsomely during their time wearing Dodger blue. But there's something to be said for cohesiveness and leadership in the clubhouse — something that both Taylor and Barnes were able to provide.

Will losing Austin Barnes and Chris Taylor cause problems for the Dodgers down the road?

Statwise, Taylor and Barnes weren't anything special. In fact, if fans are looking at this from a purely statistical standpoint, Taylor should have been released after last season. The former All-Star and 2021 NLCS MVP hadn't lived up to his contract since 2023, and even that timeline is questionable.

After inking his four-year, $60 million contract with LA prior to 2022, Taylor posted an uninspiring .222/.307/.369 slash line with an 88 OPS+. Since 2024, those numbers look even worse. Taylor was hitting just .202/.286/.294 with a 66 OPS+ and became little more than a platoon bat and defensive replacement.

With a backup catcher like Barnes, fans can be a bit more forgiving. So long as Will Smith was in the starting lineup, Barnes was only hanging the signs once every four or five days. While Barnes may be hailed for his ability to stay in front balls in dirt and call and good game, a below average arm and pop time ranked him among the worst at throwing out would-be base stealers.

But both Taylor and Barnes were leaned on for what they provided off the the field, and that lack of guidance and direction is what concerns Plunkett. However, it's hard to argue that LA doesn't have a clubhouse filled with veterans who can take on a similar role. Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Kiké Hernandez, and Miguel Rojas are all well-respected vets who can command a room.

LA's not lacking leadership in the clubhouse, but they were lacking production on the field. Though Taylor and Barnes may be missed, the Dodgers are a better team with Dalton Rushing, Hyeseong Kim, and Andy Pages on the active roster rather than the minor leagues.

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