The Dodgers showed yesterday that they were not afraid to make a move to remove a Dodger Icon when they DFA’ed Team Captain Austin Barnes. Austin was in his eleventh season with the Dodgers and, in fact, has never played for a MLB team except the Dodgers. Chris Taylor has been a Dodger Fixture for nine seasons. He has been affectionately called “CT3,” but now it looks increasingly like a player nicknamed “The Comet” is poised to take his place. Hyeseong Kim has been nothing short of brilliant since his callup.
When a player gets called up, that is their time to shine… to make an impression. James Outman and Kim were called up together. Kim has played excellent defense, as we all knew he could. His blazing speed and superb instincts have also been a revelation on the bases. To top it all off, he is hitting .360 with a .840 OPS. The Dodgers cannot send him back to OKC. OTOH< James Outman has increased his 40% AAA strikeout rate to 72% with the Dodgers. That is deplorable. He will be gone as soon as \Edman or Teoscar is ready to return, but who goes when both of them are back?
Some think Muncy, but no, that will not happen—at least not now. Chris Taylor or Miguel Rojas will be the next player to be DFA’ed or traded. Both have trade value, but the Dodgers would prefer to keep Rojas as he looks like a coach or manager in waiting. CT3 is owed $17 million, counting his $4 million buyout. The Dodgers might have to cover $10 million to trade him. MiggyRo is only owed $5 million, but he brings more to the table. He would be easier to trade, but I think he is more valuable to the Dodgers.
Will the Dodgers pull the trigger? That is the question… then there’s the issue of Alex Freeland…
No. Kim needs consistent playing time, CT3 does not.
Let him go back to OKC, play every day and come back for the stretch run, he will be on the playoff roster.
CT3 not going anywhere…
Agreed. He needs to play every day and get his feet wet at multiple positions which is how he will make an impact with this team. He looks shaky in CF and needs more reps out there IMO. If he could be just average in CF could be a HUGE boost. He certainly has the tools to be very good in the outfield.
You are exactly correct. CT3 is an exceptional player. I coach Chris when he was 9 to 14 years old. I know his demeanor as his dad would verify.
Put Chris in LF, 3B or 2B every game. Then watch him. Give Chris his confidence back then admire what he can do. Chris has been inundated by dodger front office seeking to get their top prospects kids in.
Kim is a more likely replacement for Taylor than Freeland.
At this point, Freeland may be our starting 3b next year.
The Dodgers called up Rushing because he’s an improvement over Barnes. Is Kim an upgrade over Taylor? Then he deserves the shot. Baseball is a meritocracy. If you’re better then you get to play.
And when Tommy and Teo come back where is Kim going to play??
He needs to play everyday at OKC and come back later in the summer for the stretch run.
If someone gets hurt he gets the call….
Not sure about this.
For most of last year Taylor had a negative OPS+. If you have a sub-100 OPS+ you are worse than league average.
A negative OPS+ means you are astronomically worse (100x) than an average player.
Taylor kept his shot all season.
No. Chris has years of experience and savvy at many positions. Plus, he’s proven his athleticism and his strong arm especially throwing out runners at home plate.
Our best line up imo has Kim at second, Tommy in center, Teo in right and a platoon of Andy and Conforto in left field.
Why would you platoon Pages at this point he deserves to play every day he’s earned it. Also, I’m not moving him out of RF; he is much better than Teo out there. Ideally Teo would be in LF but my guess is Conforto will get a long leash to produce.
Edman isn’t really playing much OF for the team with Pages recent hitting (22 GS at 2B vs. 7 GS in CF)
If Conforto continues to struggle, then Rushing could get some starts in LF while Smith is catching.
Rushing may not be a great defender out there–but then neither is Conforto. If Rushing proves he can hit ML pitching, perhaps we’ll see this lineup against tough RHP.
Shohei DH
Mookie SS
Freddie 1B
Teo RF
Smith C
Rushing LF
Pages CF
Muncy/Kike 3B
Edman 2B
Again, this lineup assumes that Rushing’s bat makes a smooth transition–and Conforto continues to struggle. In a blowout, Rushing can move to catcher to provide Smith some rest.
This would be a potent lineup, with all 9 spots capable of 20+ HR power. (I didn’t think Edman had that in him until his fast start this year.) Even with 1/4 season over–and even playing part-time–Rushing should provide 10-15 more HRs than Barnes.)
While some fans think Kim needs more daily action in OKC, I think he’d get plenty of reps off the bench as Taylor’s replacement. Roberts likes “optionality,” and his defense-first lineup would probably have Edman in CF and Kim at 2B. When Kim isn’t starting, he would come off the bench for defense and as a pinch hitter and pinch runner. Robert would have fun moving Edman, Kim and Kike around.
Replacing Barnes and Taylor with Rushing and Kim would make the collective lineup more potent and about 18-19 years younger.
I agree about Kim. In a perfect world he would supply late inning defense, pinch hit or run and spell a guy now and then. But more than likely someone goes down or he at least starts 4 games a week in a multi player quasi platoon. He should stay. CT3……thanks for the memories……really!
Book em
Wednesday scores
Round Rock 5, Oklahoma City 0
Tulsa 5, NW Arkansas 2
Lake County at Great Lakes, postponed
Rancho Cucamonga 12, Inland Empire 8
Thursday schedule
Northwest Arkansas (Henry Williams) at Tulsa (Jacob Meador), 9:00 AM PST
Oklahoma City (Nick Frasso) at Round Rock (Ty Blach), 5:05 PM PST
Lake County (Matt Wilkinson) at Great Lakes (Wyatt Crowell), 3:05 PM PST game 1
Lake County (Josh Hartle) at Great Lakes (TBA), game 2
Inland Empire (Chris Clark) at Rancho Cucamonga (Hyun-Seok Jang), 6:30 PM PST
For more detailed recaps,stats,schedules, standings and box scores for Dodger minor league teams go to the top of this page and cIick on MINOR LEAGUE AFFLIATES.
can’t platoon Pages! no way! kim becomes super utility guy. Edman at second base. pick one to leave. my guess is Taylor. he’s a uva guy so i hate it, but maybe it’s time.
Even if the Dodgers ate 10 mil, I still don’t think any team is going to want to pay him 7 million.
He’s been subpar for a long time, and even his defense isn’t really fantastic in spite of his versatility, so it’s not enough to offset his offensive ineptitude.
I keep reading that there’s no way he gets DFA’d because of the money he’s owed.
“The Dodgers are paying hm a lot of money. No way he’s going anywhere?”
Why?
In case some of us have forgotten, the Dodgers are loaded and have already blown past the CBT.
Do you think money still owed on his contract is going to be primary consideration on whether he stays?
I would think that decision hinges on what personnel the Dodgers think make the team better now.
Remember Carl Crawford? The Dodgers DFA’d him, and he still had 35 million left on his contract. No one ever signed him, so the Dodgers ate all of it. They paid him to sit on his couch, but, for them, it was the right move.
I don’t think 17 million is THE factor. Maybe it’s a consideration, but I don’t think the Dodgers are going to keep dead wood around just because they’re paying him.
Totally agree with your CT analysis, Patch.
No team is going to take him if they have to pay even 7 mil.
If the Dodgers decide they have a better alternative to his being on the roster, they’ll cut him, no matter what it costs them.
Once Tommy gets back, I think the only question will be if they feel Kim would be better served playing part time up here or every day at OKC. That, in my view, will determine CT3’s future.
Well, if the Dodgers pay $10 Million, then the pro-rated amount is about $5 Million.
05/15/25 Los Angeles Dodgers recalled LHP Justin Wrobleski from Oklahoma City Comets.
05/15/25 Los Angeles Dodgers optioned RHP J.P. Feyereisen to Oklahoma City Comets.
Perspective is an interesting word.
As Dodger’s fans we are collectively debating whether to platoon Pages (I am in the camp of “No”!).
While for the Giant’s they talk about the 2nd coming (slightly exaggerated:) in the person of Heliot Ramos:
Pages Stats: 144 AB, .291 Ave, 7-Hr, 21 RBI, 5-SB, .834 OPS, 24-yrs old – and now better than average fielder with a cannon.
Ramos Stats: 163 AB, .288 Ave, 7-Hr, 22-RBI, 3-SB, .838 OPS, 25-yrs old – good outfield, unknown arm quality.
Even with Pages current 22-game hot streak he is still almost an after thought in any discussions on good the Dodgers really are.
While in SF – all they talk about is how fortunate they have this really good young player.
Question for the group:
With the debate on whether to keep Kim or not – could he play some time at 3rd? I know this isn’t the typical thought but until the 9th inning last night – Muncy and Kim were tied in HR’s – with 25 AB’s for Kim and 135 AB’s for Max.
I don’t think Kim has the arm to successfully play third base for any length of time.
While we’re on the subject of Kim, somebody should spend time with him and teach him how to bunt for base hits. His speed would make it easy for him to beat out bunts, assuming he could place them properly. If the opposition had to worry about that each time he was up, they’d need to play in at the corners a little and that would make it easier to punch a hit through the infield. Win-win.
Pages vs. Ramos – that’s why it’s better to be a Dodger fan than a Giant fan in 2025.
What I’m hoping to see from Kim is a bit more patience at the plate.
It’s a small sample, but in his 25 ML plate appearances to date, he has recorded zero walks and 5 strikeouts.
Back in Korea, the ratio was more like 2 walks for every 3-4 Ks.
No doubt Kim’s eager to impress with his bat–and he’s been impressing. The HR was nice. But his primary job at the bottom of the lineup is to just get on base.
Checks notes…..Kim OBP .467 🙂
Pages is only now starting to live up to his potential.
Ramos has more of a track record–and so it’s encouraging for Giants fans to see him bounce back.
I agree that Pages shouldn’t be platooned. Unlike last season, he’s producing reverse splits now–hitting RHP at a .907 OPS and only .655 against lefties. That’s basically the opposite of his splits in ’24, when he crushed lefties. If Pages can improve against lefties, he might produce all-star caliber stats.
The Dodgers best OF now, with Conforto struggling, would have Pages and Teo flanking Edman. It would be the best on both offense and defense. With Kim at second, the defense would be strong.
To his credit, Pages’s defense in CF has improved–but he’s still better in a corner.
Yeah, the idea of platooning Pages with Conforto is essentially punishing Pages for Conforto’s poor play.
Pages, as you mentioned, is hitting better against righties this year, and his overall play has been excellent. He’s absolutely earned the right to play every day, and the team is better for it.
The difference in perspective may come down to this:
Giants fans have lower expectations and are thus grateful to have Ramos.
We Dodger fans are spoiled with glamorous WS expectations and thus see Pages as <Shohei, Mookie, Freddie, Teo, Smith, Edman….
Pages is playing well and is starting to get more recognition. But unlike Heliot Ramos, he has superstars for teammates.
I think the question is: Can Edman play 3rd.
I’m still not understanding why Outman is on the team. I know its just temporary, but you mean there is no one down there who could do as ‘good’ as him for a few weeks?
Outman is the team’s best defensive CF option–and that counts for a lot with Edman out. He makes plays that Pages can’t make.
Outman’s an extremely streaky hitter. Shortly before he was summoned to LA, Outman won Player of the Week honors because of his offensive outburst.
Unfortunately, his slump resumed with his return to the majors. You may not recall that Outman finished 3rd in ROY voting in 2023 with a .790 OPS.
I recall!
Outman showed a lot of promise as a Rookie, but this is a game of adjustments.
MLB pitchers figured out the holes in his swing and adjusted.
He hasn’t!
Hitting at AAA sporadically does not mean you can hit in the Majors.
When Edman comes back, Outman goes down.
In the White Sox-Reds game yesterday, the leadoff batters were Miguel Vargas, at 3B, and Gavin Lux, at DH. Both got a couple of hits.
Athletics (22-21)
Dodgers (28-15)
SP Osvaldo Bido R
2-3 4.75 ERA
SP Matt Sauer R
1-0 1.54 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
SS Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
3B Max Muncy L
RF Andy Pages R
LF M. Conforto L
C D. Rushing L
CF James Outman L
2B Hyeseong Kim L
66° Wind 9 mph Out
Good stuff, Mr. Timmons…still a cool site, no bells and whistles or annoying ads or popups (sans the company logo, but can’t hate on that), four graphs and straight to the point – I chuckled at the “that is deplorable” line. Now onto a puff of the real good stuff as I try to make sense of this Furcal news….a missile? Like straight up ordnance or something like the fireworks mi primo gets from Tijuana? Maybe our military vets here a LADT or a fireworks enthusiast can explain it to me…
Question for anyone: does anyone think the service time thing with Taylor is a serious consideration from upstairs?
Update and edit: Furcal reportedly said it was just “a rock”
max seems to be getting better. good for him AND the dodgers. Kim? there’s no way he goes back down! why would they even consider it? …Dalton had a nice debut last night. Congratulations young man. …. I wish mlb would modify their “ winning “ pitcher rule. both Sauer and JW pitched 4 quality innings last night. JW got the win. Matt S. gets nada! Maybe in bullpen games they should call it a bullpen win. Kinda silly, but don’t seem fair to The “starter’. But after that beat down last night, really nothing else to complain about! …. Can’t wait for saturday night! it’s Kershaw time!
Can’t wait, but also apprehensive. Lets see if he can still get mlb hitters out