Dodgers News: Chris Taylor has earned a spot over Joc Pederson

The latest Dodgers news focuses on whether or not Chris Taylor deserves to start.

This season, it’s safe to say that Los Angeles has been full of surprises. Instead of running away with the NL West, it has turned out to a three-way race for first place.

In addition to Los Angeles, both Colorado and Arizona have emerged as contenders. Because of that, depth on the roster is more important than ever.

Rookie Cody Bellinger has proven he belongs in the big leagues, as his season has been nothing short of amazing. But let’s not forget about Chris Taylor, either.

Taylor has had his own success at the plate, performing well on defense in the outfield as well. Joc Pederson, however, hasn’t even played well when not injured.

Per Andy McCullough of the LA Times:

"Roberts has repeatedly told his players that they will not lose their starting positions to injury. But Pederson presents him with a problem. Pederson has hit .200 when healthy this season, with only two home runs. Chris Taylor has emerged as one of the team’s better hitters, and has played well enough in center field."

It’s perfect timing for Taylor, though. Like Bellinger, his role in the progress of the team is only beneficial.

The better that the Dodgers can be — and the more figured out their starters are — the further they’ll make it in the postseason.

Comparatively speaking, Taylor has mustered a .316 batting average with seven home runs and over 30 RBI.

Making the right lineup adjustments isn’t just crucial for their offense, either. Dominant pitching performances by Clayton Kershaw won’t mean much if the team can’t keep it together.

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So long as Taylor continues to perform and improve, he’s a healthy and worthy substitute for Joc Pederson.