In a move that signals the Los Angeles Dodgers’ unrelenting focus on performance, the club has released veteran utility man Chris Taylor to make room for the activation of Tommy Edman from the 10-day injured list. Edman returns after missing just over two weeks due to ankle inflammation, but the real headline is the end of Taylor’s nine-season run in Dodger Blue.
Los Angeles Dodgers Release Chris Taylor, Activate Tommy Edman Amid Roster Shake-Up
Initially reported as a designation for assignment by The Athletic‘s Fabian Ardaya, Taylor’s absence from the clubhouse ahead of Sunday’s series finale against the Angels all but confirmed the move. However, the transaction was ultimately a straight release, a decision that underscored the club’s unwillingness to wait out a DFA period with little chance of a waiver claim.
Taylor, who turns 35 in August, joined the Dodgers in 2016 in what was then a low-profile trade with the Seattle Mariners for pitcher Zach Lee. The utility man quickly emerged as a key figure in the Dodgers’ winning culture, breaking out in 2017 with a .288/.354/.496 slash line, 21 home runs, and NLCS MVP honors en route to a World Series appearance. Between 2017 and 2021, Taylor posted a .265/.343/.461 line over 2,382 plate appearances, providing defensive versatility and timely hitting during one of the most successful eras in franchise history.
That production, however, took a sharp downturn following the four-year, $60 million contract he signed in the 2021–22 offseason. Since Opening Day 2022, Taylor has hit just .222/.307/.369 in 1,119 plate appearances. His playing time gradually diminished, and this season he had become a seldom-used bench piece — slashing .200/.200/.257 with a .457 OPS and just two RBIs across 28 games.
While his recent struggles contributed to the decision, Taylor leaves behind a legacy of impact. He was emblematic of the Dodgers’ talent for identifying and maximizing undervalued players. His defensive flexibility — logging at least 174 appearances each at shortstop, second base, left field, and center field, along with time in right field and third — made him indispensable at his peak. He also delivered in October, slashing .247/.351/.441 with 266 postseason plate appearances and collecting two World Series rings along the way.
There’s an added layer of symbolism in Edman’s return coinciding with Taylor’s exit. Like Taylor, Edman brings multi-position versatility and speed, and his presence now essentially fills the role that Taylor once defined. With Enrique Hernández, Miguel Rojas, and newly signed Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim also crowding the infield and bench mix, Taylor became the odd man out in a roster built to win now.
The Dodgers are still on the hook for the remainder of Taylor’s $13 million salary for 2025 (about $9.55 million) and the $4 million buyout of his 2026 club option. If another team signs Taylor, they will pay him only the prorated league minimum, which will be subtracted from what L.A. owes.
Taylor’s release comes days after the team DFA’d backup catcher Austin Barnes, further emphasizing the Dodgers’ all-business approach in a tightly contested NL West race. The message to players — especially those on the fringes — is unmistakable: performance is everything.
In Los Angeles, sentiment takes a back seat to winning. And as the Dodgers chase another title, difficult decisions like parting ways with their longest-tenured position player are simply part of the cost of doing business.