In a week marked by tough decisions, the Los Angeles Dodgers parted ways with two of their longest-tenured players — catcher Austin Barnes and utility man Chris Taylor. Both veterans had been cornerstones of the Dodgers’ clubhouse, with Barnes serving 11 seasons in LA and Taylor 10. But amid a tightening NL West race and a flurry of injuries, the team made what it deemed necessary business moves.
Neither Barnes nor Taylor had been producing at the plate this season. Barnes posted a .214 average with a .518 OPS in just 13 games, while Taylor was hitting .200 with 13 strikeouts across 35 plate appearances. With younger talent like Dalton Rushing and Hyeseong Kim emerging, the Dodgers prioritized performance over nostalgia.
Freddie Freeman Gets Real About Los Angeles Dodgers’ Emotional Roster Cuts
Still, the emotional toll on the clubhouse has been significant.
“It stinks,” said first baseman Freddie Freeman. “If you say you’re not sad when you lose friends, you’re not human.”
Freeman spoke candidly about the impact of the departures, referencing the camaraderie shared during travel and downtime. “It does suck. You’re going to be a little sad, but that can’t be the reason you go 0-for-4 now.”
While acknowledging the cold realities of baseball, Freeman emphasized that losing respected veterans alters the team’s chemistry. “You’ve got to be a grown boy and understand the reasoning,” he said. “But we’ve got to keep going.”
The Dodgers, reigning World Series champs, now face their stiffest challenge yet — maintaining focus and momentum without the familiar faces who helped build the team’s culture. As Freeman put it, “We’ve got a good group of guys that will keep this machine going.” But the sting of goodbye still lingers.