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Los Angeles Dodgers: Player grades for the month of April

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 10: Manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on prior to a game against the Oakland Athletics e at Dodger Stadium on April 10, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 10: Manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on prior to a game against the Oakland Athletics e at Dodger Stadium on April 10, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers
(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers /

Outfielders:

  • LF Matt Kemp: A+

Matt Kemp has been the most surprising, and arguably the best, hitter on the Los Angeles Dodgers thus far this season. Am I a tad biased because of the emotional ties attached to Kemp? Probably. However, the stats do not lie that Kemp has been far better than anyone anticipated.

Kemp owns a .310 average with four home runs and 12 RBIs through a month of play. His fielding still is not great but has been good enough to be any form of hindrance. While these numbers will likely level out as the year progresses, Kemp has forced himself to be much more than a trade chip.

  • CF Chris Taylor: C+

Chris Taylor has been confusing thus far this season. Looking solely at the stats, Taylor seems to be one of the best run-producing players on the Dodgers. His 20 runs are second behind Cody Bellinger and his four home runs tie Kemp and Grandal for the most on the team.

However, Taylor’s year thus far has been a rollercoaster. One night he looks like the Chris Taylor of last summer, other nights, he looks like the Taylor that was on the Mariners. A tad more consistency and Taylor’s grade will shoot up.

  • RF Yasiel Puig: D

Yasiel Puig has been the worst outfielder thus far this season. His great fielding and arm keep him from being an F, but at the plate, Puig has not been able to produce. While he is hitting the ball hard and having decent at-bats, Puig has not been able to produce results.

Puig is hitting just .193 with no home runs to his name and seven RBIS. His trip to the 10-day DL has opened a spot for Alex Verdugo and may be the breather Puig needs to get back on track.

  • OF Joc Pederson: B+

Joc Pederson has quietly been one of the nicest surprises for the Los Angeles Dodgers thus far. Pederson is hitting .286 at the plate with a home run and 11 RBIs. He has struck out just nine times in 67 plate appearances (13.4 percent) and has walked 11 times.

This is promising for a player who has struck out in 26.1 percent of his at-bats in his career (According to FanGraphs). His matchups have been hand selected (only nine plate appearances against southpaws) but Pederson is proving why the Dodgers wanted to keep him up in favor of Andrew Toles.

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