Dodgers: Who has the best chance of starting in LF in 2018?

1. Andrew Toles

I am a huge fan of Andrew Toles. Toles, like many of Andrew Friedman’s hidden gems, came out of nowhere and burst onto the scene in 2016. Toles hit .314 in 48 games played for the Dodgers in 2016 and thus earned big league honors to start 2017. The outfielder continued his hot play 2017, hitting .271 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 31 games played.

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However, that all ended when Toles injured his ACL when sliding for a fly ball to preserve Julio Urias’ no-hitter. Toles then missed the rest of season and if it weren’t for the surprise performances from Bellinger and Taylor the Dodgers could have been in a lot of trouble.

Toles is entering 2018 healthy and could make a big impact for the Dodgers atop the order. Something the Dodgers lack desperately in is speed and the ability to steal bases. With Toles and Taylor in the same lineup, the Dodgers have two quick threats that can steal over 20 bases.

It helps too that Toles is a solid fielder with a cannon of an arm in left field. Toles is an extra-base machine with surprising power that can find the seats often. He has already proven that he can keep up this level of play in the MLB and that should be rewarded with the starting left field job.

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Will Toles keep it the entire season? Who knows. The Dodgers could go with Gonzalez at first and Bellinger in left. They could move Taylor to left and pick up someone like Lorenzo Cain or Christian Yelich to play center. Regardless, Toles proves to be the best starting option in left field for the Dodgers right now.