| Date | News | Comment |
| Sep 29 2021 | Taylor signed a two-year, $9 million contract extension with the Royals on Wednesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: In his first season in Kansas City, Taylor has been a decent back-end fantasy contributor with a .244 average, 14 home runs and 14 stolen bases, but his 79 wRC+ has made him less than productive at the dish from a real-life standpoint. Kansas City still deemed Taylor worthy of an extension largely due to his elite defense in center field; the 30-year-old currently ranks first among all outfielders this season in Outs Above Average, Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating. He'll likely take home his first Gold Glove Award this offseason. |
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| Sep 28 2021 | Taylor (personal) was reinstated from the bereavement list ahead of Tuesday's game against Cleveland, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor had been away from the team since Friday, but he'll start in center field and bat eighth in Tuesday's matchup against Cleveland. Across five appearances prior to his absence, the 30-year-old went 5-for-16 with a homer, two doubles, two runs, two RBI and two stolen bases. |
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| Sep 24 2021 | The Royals placed Taylor on the bereavement list Friday, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder will miss between three and seven games, meaning he can return no sooner than Monday in Cleveland. Edward Olivares was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to temporarily fill Taylor's roster spot. |
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| Sep 20 2021 | Taylor will sit for the second game of Monday's doubleheader against Cleveland, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in the first game of the day. Kyle Isbel takes over in center field for the evening contest. |
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| Sep 19 2021 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and an additional RBI in Saturday's 8-1 victory over the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran outfielder was one of six Royals with multiple base knocks in the contest, but he was the only batter with more than one extra-base hit. Taylor's third-inning double plated Kansas City's third run of the contest, and he followed with a solo home in the fifth to tack onto the team's lead. The long ball was Taylor's first since Aug. 29. |
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| Sep 17 2021 | Taylor (personal) has been reinstated from the family medical emergency list and will start Friday's game against the Mariners in center field, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor has been away from the club since last Saturday to attend to a personal matter. He'll rejoin the active roster for the series opener against Seattle and figures to continue serving as the primary center fielder going forward. |
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| Sep 12 2021 | The Royals placed Taylor on the family medical emergency list Saturday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder will be away from the team for an indefinite time. Kyle Isbel was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to fill Taylor's active roster spot. |
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| Sep 4 2021 | Taylor went 3-for-4 with three RBI in Friday's 7-3 win over the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor got the Royals on the board with an RBI groundout in the second inning. He then poked a pair of RBI singles in the third and fifth frames. It was his eighth multi-hit game since the start of August and he's hitting .272 with 12 RBI during that span. Taylor improved his slash line to .247/.302/.361 through 455 plate appearances. |
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| Aug 29 2021 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor went deep off Marco Gonzales in the seventh inning to tie the game. He extended his hitting streak to six games. The 30-year-old is slashing .246/.303/.364 with 11 long balls, 45 RBI, 51 runs and 12 steals over 438 plate appearances. |
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| Aug 24 2021 | Taylor went 1-for-3 with a double and a stolen base in Tuesday's 4-0 loss to Houston. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder was part of Kansas City's best chance to get on the board in the third inning. He doubled and stole third as part of a double-steal with Jarrod Dyson. Taylor was then caught trying to steal home to end the inning, which marked the last time a Royal got beyond second base in the contest. The 30-year-old is now 12-for-17 in stolen base attempts this year. He's added a .241/.301/.358 slash line with 10 home runs, 43 RBI and 49 runs scored in 416 plate appearances. |
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| Aug 21 2021 | Taylor went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Four of Taylor's 11 stolen bases this year have come in 17 games in August. The outfielder has a less-than-spectacular .239/.298/.356 slash line through 404 plate appearances, but he's contributed 10 home runs, 42 RBI and 46 runs scored in a near-everyday role. |
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| Aug 19 2021 | Taylor will sit Thursday against the Astros, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor has been the Royals' clear primary center fielder this season, but that's as much due to a lack of alternatives as anything else, as his .242/.300/.359 slash line is far from impressive. Jarrod Dyson, who's hit an even worse .212/.244/.310, will get the nod in his absence. |
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| Aug 14 2021 | Taylor went 3-for-4 with an RBI in Saturday's 9-4 loss to St. Louis. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The center fielder has been a bit hit or miss lately, with four multi-hit efforts and four hitless games in his last 10 contests. All three of Taylor's hits Saturday were singles. He's up to a .246/.303/.364 slash line with 10 home runs, 10 stolen bases, 41 RBI and 46 runs scored through 379 plate appearances. The 30-year-old continues to see the bulk of the playing time in center field. |
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| Aug 13 2021 | Taylor is out of the lineup Friday against the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor started the past five games and will take a seat Friday. Jarrod Dyson will start in center field and bat ninth. |
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| Aug 11 2021 | Taylor went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's 8-4 win over the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 30-year-old has put up three multi-hit efforts and three stolen bases in his last six games. Taylor has a .243/.302/.364 slash line with 10 home runs, 10 stolen bases, 40 RBI and 46 runs scored through 371 plate appearances. He'll continue to provide a mix of speed and some power in the bottom half of the Kansas City lineup. |
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| Aug 8 2021 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with an RBI single, a stolen base and a run scored in Sunday's 6-5 win over St. Louis. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder got Kansas City on the board by knocking in Carlos Santana in the fourth inning. Taylor is in a bit of a groove, going 6-for-15 (.400) with a home run, three RBI, two stolen bases and three runs scored across his last four games. He's posted a .242/.301/.364 slash line in 362 plate appearances overall. |
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| Aug 6 2021 | Taylor will sit Friday against the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor hits the bench for the first time in two weeks. He owns a modest .674 OPS in the 12 games since his last absence, though that was enough to raise his season OPS to .662. Jarrod Dyson starts in center field Friday. |
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| Aug 5 2021 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and two total runs Wednesday in a win over the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor banged one of four Royals homers in the contest, going deep to left field in the fourth inning. His two-hit performance snapped a four-game stretch in which he failed to get a hit over 12 at-bats. Taylor is slashing .238/.297/.364 with 10 homers, 38 RBI and seven stolen bases across 350 plate appearances this season. |
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| Jul 30 2021 | Taylor went 1-for-2 with a home run, two RBI and a walk in Thursday's win over the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder launched his ninth homer of the year in the second inning off starter Carlos Rodon, and he later added another RBI via a sac fly in the fifth that scored Jorge Soler. Taylor has hit safely in five of his last six games and also snapped a 15-game homer drought with his blast. He might be hitting just .244 on the year, but that figure rises to a more respectable .274 in 62 at-bats this month. |
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| Jul 27 2021 | Taylor went 0-for-3 with a stolen base in Tuesday's 5-3 loss to the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The only time Taylor got on base was via error in the second inning, and he stole second but didn't come around to score. The outfielder is now 7-for-11 on stolen base attempts this season as a modest speed threat down the lineup. He's slashing just .242/.299/.354 with eight home runs, 33 RBI and 40 runs scored through 90 games. |
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| Jul 24 2021 | Taylor (wrist) is starting Saturday's game against the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor suffered a wrist injury Wednesday and wasn't in Friday's lineup, but he went 0-for-1 with a strikeout as a pinch hitter. He'll start in center field and bat eighth Saturday. |
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| Jul 23 2021 | Taylor (wrist) is out of the lineup Friday against the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor was removed from Wednesday's matchup with the Brewers due to a wrist injury, and he'll be out of the lineup Friday despite having Thursday's scheduled off day to aid in his recovery. Jarrod Dyson will work in center field in the series opener. |
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| Jul 21 2021 | Taylor exited Wednesday's game against the Brewers with a wrist injury, Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor was replaced by a pinch hitter in the top of the sixth inning Wednesday, and the team later revealed that he's dealing with a wrist injury. He went 0-for-2 with a strikeout prior to his departure. While the severity of the issue isn't yet clear, the center fielder will be able to rest during Thursday's scheduled off day. |
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| Jul 8 2021 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a stolen base in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to Cincinnati. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder has had a strong start to July, going 6-for-19 (.316) with a home run, three RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base in his last five games. Taylor is now 6-for-9 in steal attempts while adding eight homers, 32 RBI, 33 runs scored and a .242 batting average through 77 contests this season. |
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| Jul 6 2021 | Taylor went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Tuesday's 7-6 win over Cincinnati. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder got Kansas City on the board with a solo shot in the fifth inning. He also reached on an error in the ninth before scoring on Nicky Lopez's game-tying two-run single. Taylor has found a groove in his last seven games, going 8-for-25 (.320) with three homers, six RBI, five runs scored and a stolen base. He should continue to see the bulk of the playing time in center field despite a poor .238/.292/.363 slash line through 277 plate appearances. |
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| Jul 4 2021 | Taylor is on the bench for Sunday's game against the Twins, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor went 2-for-4 on Saturday, and has hit .314 with two homers and eight RBI in his last 10 games. Jarrod Dyson will start in center field for Sunday's series finale. |
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| Jul 1 2021 | Taylor is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against Boston. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor has two homers in his last three games, though that immediately follows an 18-game stretch in which he struggled to a .397 OPS. Jarrod Dyson will take over in center field in his absence. |
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| Jun 30 2021 | Taylor went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer, a walk, a steal and three RBI in Tuesday's 7-6 win over the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor had not homered in 30 games prior to this series against the Red Sox but has now homered in back-to-back games after launching a two-run blast off Nick Pivetta in the fourth inning. The 30-year-old also added a pair of singles, a walk and his fifth stolen base of the year. Tuesday was Taylor's best all-around game of the season thus far, and he raised his slash line to .239/.295/.357 with seven homers, 29 RBI, 30 runs scored and a 17:84 BB:K over 258 plate appearances. |
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| Jun 29 2021 | Taylor went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 6-5 loss to Boston. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor's solo shot gave Kansas City a 4-1 lead in the second inning. The outfielder had gone 30 games without a long ball, a stretch dating back to May 21. He's been a near-everyday option in center field, but the 30-year-old is slashing just .230/.286/.336 with six home runs, 26 RBI, 29 runs scored and four stolen bases in six attempts. |
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| Jun 27 2021 | Taylor is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor will get his first breather since June 12. Jarrod Dyson will start in center field and bat seventh during the series finale. |
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| Jun 22 2021 | Taylor went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a walk and a run scored in Tuesday's 6-5 win over the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Tuesday was the first time Taylor had gotten on base multiple times since June 8, and his first multi-hit effort since June 4. The center fielder has gone 6-for-27 (.222) across his last seven games -- he's still in the midst of a slump. For the year, the 30-year-old is slashing .235/.289/.336 with five home runs, 23 RBI, 27 runs scored and four stolen bases across 235 plate appearances. |
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| Jun 12 2021 | Taylor will not start Saturday's game against Oakland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor started the season well but has since gone cold for an extended period, hitting .214/.268/.342 over his last 35 games. Jarrod Dyson will start in center field Saturday. |
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| Jun 6 2021 | Taylor is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor will get at least the beginning of Sunday's game off, with Jarrod Dyson slated to man center field during the series finale. |
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| Jun 5 2021 | Taylor went 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored in Friday's 14-5 win over the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor was involved in the Royals' nine-run first inning when he singled in two runs with the bases loaded. He then drove in another run the following frame on another single. The 30-year-old now has three multi-hit games in his last six and has raised his slash line to .255/.303/.388 with five homers, 22 RBI, 22 runs scored and four stolen bases. |
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| May 30 2021 | Taylor is not in the lineup Sunday against Minnesota. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor will take a seat Sunday after starting the past three games and going 3-for-10 with a double, an RBI, two runs and five strikeouts during that stretch. Jarrod Dyson will work in center field for the Royals in the series finale. |
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| May 26 2021 | Taylor is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Jarrod Dyson will pick up a start in center field in place of Taylor, who is sitting out for the first time since May 14. Taylor went 6-for-27 while starting in each of the last eight games, recording two home runs, five RBI, four runs and one stolen base. |
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| May 22 2021 | Taylor went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 7-5 loss to Detroit. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder's sixth-inning blast gave Kansas City a short-lived 5-3 lead before Detroit's Miguel Cabrera responded with a grand slam in the seventh. Taylor has gone deep in consecutive games, and he now has five long balls on the year. He's added a .248/.307/.380 slash line with 15 RBI, 16 runs scored and four stolen bases in 39 games. |
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| May 19 2021 | Taylor went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and two walks Wednesday against the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor was responsible for the only damage against Corbin Burnes when he smacked his fourth home run of the season in the second inning. He also didn't strike out for the second consecutive game, a notable feat given that he had struck in 11 consecutive contests previously. Despite a 32.4 strikeout percentage on the season, Taylor has maintained a .248 batting average to go along with four steals, 15 runs and 13 RBI across 136 plate appearances. |
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| May 16 2021 | Taylor went 0-for-4 with a stolen base and three strikeouts in Saturday's 5-1 win over the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outfielder got aboard on a fielder's choice in the third inning and promptly stole second. It was his fourth steal in five attempts this season. Taylor has been alright with a 2.41/.296/.336 slash line, three home runs, 11 RBI and 13 runs scored in 125 plate appearances. With a 33.6 percent strikeout rate and .095 ISO, he's been more bust then boom at the plate, and his .352 BABIP suggests he's gotten a bit lucky as well. |
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| May 14 2021 | Taylor went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After going yard in the first two games of the year, Taylor went another 32 contests before launching his third homer off Lucas Giolito on Friday. The veteran outfielder is slashing .250/.306/.348 with a rough 8:39 BB:K on the season. |
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| May 12 2021 | Taylor isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Tigers, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor went 1-for-8 with an RBI and five strikeouts in the last two games. Jarrod Dyson will take over in center field and bat eighth. |
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| May 8 2021 | Taylor isn't starting Saturday's game against the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor went 4-for-14 with an RBI, a walk and seven strikeouts in his last four games. Jarrod Dyson will start in center field and bat eighth. |
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| May 3 2021 | Taylor isn't in the lineup Monday against Cleveland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor had started each of the last five games and went 3-for-18 with a double, a run, one RBI and seven strikeouts during that time. Jarrod Dyson will take over in center field and bat eighth. |
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| Apr 26 2021 | Taylor is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Jarrod Dyson will take over in center field while Taylor heads to the bench following a string of seven consecutive starts. Unless he appears as a reserve Monday, Taylor will put his six-game hitting streak on the line in Tuesday's series opener in Pittsburgh. |
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| Apr 25 2021 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Sunday's 4-0 win over the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor got aboard with a single in the fifth inning. He advanced to second on a Nicky Lopez sacrifice, then stole third base before he scored on a Whit Merrifield single. The 30-year-old Taylor has three stolen bases, two home runs, six RBI and nine runs scored through 20 games. He's slashing .288/.347/.394 across 72 plate appearances. |
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| Apr 18 2021 | Taylor went 0-for-2 with two walks and a stolen base in Sunday's 2-0 win over the Blue Jays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor's steal came in the seventh after his second walk of the game. The outfielder has racked up two homers, six RBI, six runs scored and two stolen bases in 14 games. He hasn't homered or knocked in a run since April 3, and he's only gone 2-for-19 in his last seven contests. |
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| Apr 17 2021 | Taylor isn't starting the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against Toronto, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts in the first game of Saturday's twin bill. Jarrod Dyson will take over in center field for the nightcap, batting ninth. |
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| Apr 14 2021 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor displayed some speed in the fourth inning, as he got aboard with an infield single and stole second -- his first steal of the season. He eventually came around to score on a Cam Gallagher sacrifice fly. Taylor posted multiple hits for the first time since April 3. The 30-year-old outfielder is slashing .324/.359/.514 with two homers, six RBI and six runs scored through 39 plate appearances. His career high in stolen bases is 24, set in 2018, but he didn't attempt a steal in 2020. It remains to be seen how often he'll be given the green light on the basepaths. |
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| Apr 3 2021 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, three RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 11-4 win over the Rangers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor got the Royals on the board when he took Rangers starter Kohei Arihara deep in the fourth inning. The 30-year-old Taylor added a two-run double in the sixth and came around to score on Whit Merrifield's two-run single during a seven-run rally. Through the first two games of 2021, Taylor is 5-for-9 with two homers, six RBI and three runs scored. He's hitting sixth in the Royals' order to strong results, but it may just be a product of the Rangers' poor pitching. The outfielder slashed a career-worst .196/.253/.424 with five homers, 16 RBI and 11 runs scored across 99 plate appearances with the Nationals last year, but he should be due for positive regression this season. |
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| Mar 15 2021 | Taylor (back) will start in center field and will bat fifth in Monday's Cactus League game against the Giants, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor looks to be good to go after a sore back kept him out of the lineup for four days. The 29-year-old is off to a 6-for-14 start to spring training, including a pair of home runs. He appears on track to open the season as the Royals' primary center fielder. |
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| Mar 14 2021 | Taylor (back) could return to Cactus League play as early as Monday, Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor has been held out over the past several days due to lower back tightness, but manager Mike Matheny said Sunday that the outfielder is healthy. He could return to the lineup Monday unless the team decides to rest him again, and it doesn't appear as though the issue will impact his availability for Opening Day. |
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| Mar 11 2021 | Taylor was removed from the lineup for Thursday's spring game against the Brewers due to back tightness, Josh Vernier of 610 Sports reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Taylor was a late scratch from Thursday's lineup, and he'll be able to rest during the Royals' day off Friday. It's not yet clear whether he'll be able to return to action for Saturday's Cactus League matchup. |
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| Nov 30 2020 | Taylor signed a one-year, $1.75 million deal with the Royals on Monday, Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The deal also includes $1 million in incentives. Taylor had essentially worn out his welcome in Washington, but he still possesses a mildly interesting combination of power and speed and Kansas City is as good of a landing spot as he could have hoped for. He will be competing with other toolsy reclamation projects like Franchy Cordero and Edward Olivares for playing time, so it's conceivable he could eclipse 400 plate appearances for the first time since 2017. More likely, he will be the Royals' fourth outfielder, getting most of his starts against left-handed pitchers. |
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| Oct 15 2020 | Taylor cleared waivers Thursday and elected free agency, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Nationals deemed Taylor surplus to requirements, and he'll test his luck on the open market rather than remain with the organization in a minor-league capacity. Taylor was a serviceable enough player during his seven years in Washington but fits best in a bench role, as he's only once finished a season with a wRC+ above 80. |
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| Jun 28 2019 | Taylor was optioned to Triple-A Fresno on Friday, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 28 2019 | Taylor was optioned to Double-A Harrisburg on Friday, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 28 2019 | Taylor has started only four games so far in June, going 3-for-20 with zero extra-base hits, zero walks, an RBI, two runs and two stolen bases. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 27 2019 | Taylor went 2-for-2 with a double, a run scored and an RBI in Sunday's win over the Marlins. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 12 2019 | Taylor will start in center field and bat eighth<\/a> Sunday against the Dodgers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 8 2019 | Taylor will start in center field and bat eighth<\/a> Wednesday against the Brewers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 7 2019 | Taylor (wrist) entered Monday's game in the bottom of the fourth inning to play center field, going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 6 2019 | Manager Dave Martinez said Taylor (wrist) is \"day-to-day\" and will not be placed on the injured list, Sam Fortier of The Washington Post<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 6 2019 | Taylor (wrist) is not starting Monday<\/a> against Milwaukee. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 6 2018 | Taylor is not in the lineup against the Marlins on Friday. | Taylor will receive a breather after going 2-for-3 with three runs scored during Thursday's victory. Manager Dave Martinez will send out an outfield of Juan Soto, Bryce Harper and Adam Eaton. |
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| Jul 6 2018 | Taylor went 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored in Thursday's comeback win over the Marlins. | He continues to produce when he's in the lineup, and Taylor now sports a .367/.392/.408 slash line over his last 49 at-bats across 19 games (11 starts) with six steals, five RBI and eight runs. He's still plenty useful in deeper fantasy leagues in this role, but as long as the rest of the Nats' outfielders (Bryce Harper, Adam Eaton and Juan Soto) are healthy, though, Taylor won't see enough playing time to have stable value in the shallowest of formats. |
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| Jul 2 2018 | Taylor is not in the lineup against Boston on Monday. | Taylor will remain on the bench for a fourth straight game as Juan Soto, Bryce Harper and Adam Eaton make up the outfield for the Nationals. Over 24 games in June, Taylor hit .349 with an .864 OPS and 10 stolen bases. |
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| Jul 1 2018 | Taylor is out of the lineup Sunday against the Phillies. | Taylor will miss his third consecutive game, as it appears he could be slipping into the role of fourth outfielder. Sunday will mark the third consecutive contest that manager Dave Martinez has employed an outfield composed of Juan Soto (left), Bryce Harper (center) and Adam Eaton (right). No specific reason has been provided for Taylor's absence, though a 1-for-13 skid hasn't helped his cause. |
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| Jun 29 2018 | Taylor is out of the lineup against the Phillies on Friday. | Taylor will take a seat on the bench as manager Davey Martinez trots out an outfield of Juan Soto, Bryce Harper and Adam Eaton for the second of a four-game set. Over his past 12 games, Taylor is slashing .382/.400/.441 with five RBI and six stolen bases. |
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| Jun 28 2018 | Taylor went 1-for-3 with a double, RBI and run scored Thursday against the Phillies. | Taylor got another chance to start with Adam Eaton out of the starting lineup for the fourth time in the past seven games. As a result, Taylor has gotten 25 at-bats over the past week, but has failed to take advantage by collecting just six hits. He still leads the National League in stolen bases, so if he continues to get a few starts per week his speed should keep him viable in many league formats. |
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| Jun 22 2018 | Taylor went 1-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base Friday during the Nationals' 12-2 loss to the Phillies. | He leads the majors with 22 steals, which has helped make up for his other offensive shortcomings shown by his .242/.308/.394 slash and five homers in 254 plate appearances. Taylor has found playing time harder to come by after Juan Soto's emergence and Adam Eaton's return from the sidelines, but he'll draw a start or two every week, and deep-leaguers could benefit from throwing him in their lineup if they're starved for speed. |
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| Jun 18 2018 | Taylor is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader against the Yankees. | Despite collecting three hits and four stolen bases in Sunday's series finale against the Blue Jays, Taylor will head to the bench as the Nationals go with Juan Soto, Bryce Harper and Adam Eaton (from left to right) in their outfield. The 27-year-old is hitting .412/.459/.588 through 12 games this month. |
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| Jun 18 2018 | Taylor went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four stolen bases in Sunday's loss to the Blue Jays. | He made Toronto catcher Russell Martin's afternoon a fairly miserable one, going 4-for-4 on steal attempts. Taylor now leads the majors with 21 stolen bases on the season, surging ahead of Ender Inciarte and teammate Trea Turner with this performance, and his .412/.459/.588 slash line through 12 games in June will make it very hard for Nats manager Dave Martinez to take him out of the lineup. |
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| Jun 16 2018 | Taylor went 2-for-3 in Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays. | The Nationals only managed three hits on the day, but Taylor was able to stay in a groove, collecting a hit in his 13th straight start. He's hitting .333 (22-for-66) over his last 21 games with two homers, six steals, seven runs and 10 RBI, but with Adam Eaton now healthy, Taylor will continue to come off the bench a couple of times a week as manager Dave Martinez tries to squeeze four outfielders into three spots. |
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| Jun 11 2018 | Taylor went 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Sunday's loss to the Giants. | He was the only Nat to reach base twice in the 2-0 loss, but his second-inning double play also snuffed out one of the team's few rallies on the day. Taylor has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, posting a .333/.391/.571 slash line over that stretch, and while his overall numbers on the season remain poor his 17 steals (in 19 attempts) does rank fourth in the majors, two behind MLB leader Dee Gordon. The Washington outfield is in flux following the return of Adam Eaton from the disabled list, with four viable options for three spots, but Taylor's current form at the plate and stellar defense should keep him in the lineup on a regular basis. |
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| Jun 9 2018 | Taylor is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against San Francisco, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports. | With the return of Adam Eaton (ankle) from the 60-day disabled list, Taylor may be relegated to a reserve role for the foreseeable future, especially given the success of Juan Soto in left field. But Taylor has been doing all he can recently to prove that he warrants a spot in the regular lineup, hitting .310/.365/.603 with 10 RBI and 11 extra-base hits over his past 16 games. Expect to see him find a way into the starting nine on a semi-regular bases, though this will be a situation to keep an eye on moving forward. |
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| Jun 6 2018 | Taylor went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs, three RBI and a stolen base -- his 16th of the season -- in Wednesday's win over the Rays. | Taylor put the Nationals up 3-0 in the first inning with his RBI double, and he extended the team's lead twice more with a pair of RBI singles in the second and sixth frames. Wednesday's three-hit effort -- just his second of the season -- raised his batting average to .215, the highest it's been since the end of April. With Adam Eaton (ankle) nearing a return, Taylor is doing all he can lately to prove he deserves to keep a starting job. |
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| Jun 4 2018 | Taylor went 1-for-3 with a walk, a double and two stolen bases in Sunday's loss to the Braves. | The center fielder has finally put together a couple of good weeks at the plate, slashing .283/.353/.609 over his last 13 games with two homers, four steals, four runs and seven RBI. Taylor's defense has kept him in the lineup so far, but whether his recent surge on offense is enough for him to hang onto a starting job when Adam Eaton (ankle) gets healthy remains to be seen. |
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| Jun 2 2018 | Taylor went 1-for-6 with a two-run homer in Saturday's extra-innings win over the Braves. | Taylor took Brandon McCarthy deep in the second inning -- his fifth homer of the season -- to put the Nationals up 2-0. He went hitless in his other five at-bats, however, and is now batting just .202 on the year with a .632 OPS. With Adam Eaton (ankle) expected back sometime next week, Taylor could see his playing time take a big hit. |
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| Jun 1 2018 | Taylor is out of Friday's lineup against the Braves. | Brian Goodwin, who was activated from the disabled list Friday, is starting in center field and hitting sixth. With Adam Eaton (ankle) due back as early as next weekend, Taylor could tumble down the organizational depth chart this month, as he is primarily providing value with his glove, hitting just .204/.273/.356 over 210 plate appearances. |
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| May 26 2018 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Friday's win over the Marlins. | His two-run shot off Jose Urena in the second inning got the Nats on the board, while his double in the seventh kicked off a rally that put the team in the lead for good. Taylor now has five hits in his last four games, with four of them (two doubles, a triple and Friday's homer) going for extra bases, but it's hard to say he's completely shaken out of his slump when he's also struck out seven times over that stretch. |
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| May 23 2018 | Taylor went 1-for-4 with a walkoff RBI double in Tuesday's win over the Padres. | After posting a miserable .107/.167/.143 slash line through the first 16 games in May, Taylor may be emerging from his slump, collecting two hits including a triple in Monday's win before playing the hero Tuesday. He'll still need to make more contact to fully break out, however -- he's fanned 27 times in 64 at-bats this month, and his 32.6 percent strikeout rate for the season remains very poor. |
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| May 15 2018 | Taylor is not starting Tuesday against the Yankees. | Taylor had started 15 of Washington's last 16 games before his day off Tuesday. He's hitting just .186/.253/.310 on the season, though he faces no immediate threats to his job with highly-touted outfield prospect Victor Robles sidelined for months with an elbow injury. Andrew Stevenson gets the start in center field Tuesday, but his career .200/.271/.242 slash line in 56 major-league games doesn't make him much of a threat either. |
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| May 5 2018 | Taylor is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against Philadelphia. | Taylor will occupy a spot on the bench following seven straight starts as Andrew Stevenson draws the nod in center field. Over 33 games this year, Taylor is hitting just .200/.264/.339 with three home runs and nine RBI, though he has managed to swipe 10 stolen bases already. Expect him back in the lineup Sunday. |
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| May 3 2018 | Taylor is still dealing with the groin injury that knocked him out of the lineup last week, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | Taylor hasn't been sidelined by the issue much since returning to the lineup Saturday, so it doesn't appear to be something that is overly concerning. However, he did appear to be slowing up earlier on the basepaths during Thursday's contest, so this situation is worth monitoring in case it limits his ability to steal bases for the next few days. |
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| Apr 28 2018 | Taylor (groin) is back in the lineup Saturday against the Diamondbacks. | Taylor was held out of the lineup Friday, but he was able to pinch hit and will return to the lineup Saturday after missing the lone start with groin soreness. The 27-year-old has had the green light to run this season he's capitalized, going 9-for-9 in stolen-base attempts. However, he's still striking out more than 31 percent of the time and the rate power has fallen off considerably from a year ago (.128 ISO, .216 last season). |
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| Apr 27 2018 | Taylor is not in the lineup Friday against the Diamondbacks. | This comes as a bit of a surprise given the Nationals' off-day Thursday, but some reports speculate an injury is at play in this instance. No official word has come forth yet, though Taylor did foul a ball off his foot in Wednesday's contest. Regardless, Andrew Stevenson will replace him in center field for the series opener with Arizona. |
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| Apr 27 2018 | Taylor is sidelined with a sore groin but is available off the bench Friday, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports. | There was speculation that Taylor might be a little banged up given his absence from the lineup after a day off, and those rumblings proved to be true. The team appears to simply be taking the cautious route with their speedy center fielder, so consider Taylor day-to-day for now. Andrew Stevenson will man center field for the evening to replace him. |
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| Apr 25 2018 | Taylor went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer in the loss Tuesday to the Giants. | Taylor's long ball tied up the game in the fourth, and was an impressive opposite-field shot that just cleared the right field wall. The home run was his second of the year, and brought his RBI total to eight. Taylor is hitting an underwhelming .220, but is 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts with 13 runs scored. His 30 strikeouts in 82 at-bats is really hurting his ability to be more of an asset on the base paths. |
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| Apr 24 2018 | Taylor has been given a green light to run whenever he wants by manager Dave Martinez unless he's been specifically told to stay put, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports. | Martinez's faith in his center fielder's ability on the basepaths has been rewarded, as Taylor notched his ninth steal in nine attempts during Monday's loss to the Giants. Teammate Trea Turner is enjoying the same privilege, but Taylor's freedom is a little more surprising given that he was just 17-for-24 (70.8 percent) on steal attempts last year. Between the two of them they've led the Nats to the top of MLB with 27 stolen bases -- six more than the second-place White Sox -- and their overall 84.4 percent success rate also ranks the team among the league leaders. Taylor is already halfway to a new career high in steals through only 23 games, and despite a weak .218/.291/.321 slash line he's providing plenty of fantasy value just with his legs. |
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| Apr 22 2018 | Taylor went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, one RBI and one walk Sunday in the loss to the Dodgers. | Taylor belted his first home run of the season in the fourth inning to put his team on top, but it wasn't enough as Washington ended up falling 4-3. The 27-year-old center fielder is slashing a disappointing .224/.280/.329 through 22 games. Taylor will look to make consistent contact moving forward (28 strikeouts in 76 at-bats) as the Nationals match up with the Diamondbacks on Monday. |
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| Apr 21 2018 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI in Friday's win over the Dodgers. | After a slow start to the season, Taylor's begun to pick up the pace at the plate, going 6-for-20 (.300) over the last six games with three doubles, three RBI, six runs and two steals. Strikeouts remain an issue for the 27-year-old, however -- he's fanned 10 times in those six games, fueling a 34.7 percent strikeout rate on the year that would be a career worst. Taylor's also looking for his first homer after connecting on a career-high 19 in 2017. Until he begins making more consistent contact, he'll be a risky fantasy play. |
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| Apr 5 2018 | Taylor will start in center field and bat ninth Thursday against the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports. | Taylor has hit out of the sixth or seventh spot in the lineup in each of his other four starts this season, so batting ninth is unfamiliar territory for the outfielder. The low slotting in the order hasn't deterred Taylor on the basepaths yet, as the 27-year-old has gone a perfect 3-for-3 on steal attempts. However, it's uncertain if he'll maintain as aggressive of an approach on the bases now that he's batting directly in front of three of the team's top hitters in Adam Eaton, Anthony Rendon and Bryce Harper. |
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| Apr 3 2018 | Taylor is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Braves. | Taylor will head to the bench for a breather after starting the previous two games and going 1-for-7 with five strikeouts. Brian Goodwin will pick up another start in his place, manning center field and hitting seventh. |
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| Mar 31 2018 | Taylor is out of Saturday's lineup against the Reds, Dan Kolko of MASN Sports reports. | Taylor went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a run in Friday's opener. Brian Goodwin will start in center field and hit seventh in his place. |
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| Mar 18 2018 | Taylor (side) went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets. | Tightness in his side had kept Taylor on the shelf for nearly two weeks, but he looked to be healthy patrolling center field in his return to the lineup and he appears to be on track for Opening Day. The 26-year-old posted a career-high .806 OPS last year, and if he can avoid lengthy DL stints he could be poised for his first 20-20 season in 2018. |
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| Mar 16 2018 | Taylor (side) is in Saturday's lineup against the Mets, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | Taylor has been out of the lineup since March 5 with side tightness. He has appeared in a minor-league game and is now set to return to Grapefruit League action. Barring setbacks, he should be good to go by Opening Day. |
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| Mar 15 2018 | Taylor (side) played the field in a minor-league game Thursday, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | Taylor has already missed over a week due to the injury, but it seems like he's getting very close to 100 percent. No timetable for a return to Grapefruit League action has emerged yet, but the fact that he's getting back into games (even on the minor-league side) is a very encouraging development. Taylor should be ready for the regular season once the time comes barring any extraneous circumstances. |
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| Mar 13 2018 | Taylor (side) may not return to Grapefruit League games soon but will continue participating in team workouts, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | Although Taylor has missed over a week due to side tightness, the team isn't concerned that he's dealing with a significant injury. Rather, Taylor being withheld from Washington's lineup is a precautionary measure to ensure that he'll be healthy when Opening Day arrives. Until he returns to the lineup, Taylor will regularly participate in baseball activities. |
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| Mar 10 2018 | Taylor (side) was able to practice Saturday and didn't seem overly concerned with the injury, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | Taylor has been out all week due to mild right side tightness. It doesn't appear as though this injury will limit him for too much longer, but the Nationals are likely being overly cautious with the outfielder after the strained oblique he suffered last season. Expect to see him back in Grapefruit League contests at some point in the near future. |
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| Mar 8 2018 | Taylor (side) is not in the lineup against the Mets during Thursday's Grapefruit League contest, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports. | Taylor was scratched from Monday's game due to mild right side tightness and he's remained sidelined for the past two days while recovering from the injury. It appears as though he will get some additional rest Thursday as he's not a member of the starting nine, though the club classified his injury as minor, so it's not expected to keep him off the field for too much longer. |
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| Mar 6 2018 | Taylor (side) is out of the Nationals' lineup for Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports. | According to Jamal Collier of MLB.com, the Nationals provided no new information Tuesday regarding the health of Taylor, who was scratched from the lineup Monday against the Cardinals with right side tightness. The team termed Taylor's soreness as minor, so the outfielder's activity could be limited for the next few days in order to avoid a more significant setback. Taylor is slated to open the 2018 season as the Nationals' primary center fielder, though he'll likely need to perform well to avoid ceding his starting gig to top prospect Victor Robles. |
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| Mar 5 2018 | Taylor was scratched from Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals for an undisclosed reason, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | Top prospect Victor Robles entered the lineup in place of Taylor. Look for an update as to why the 25-year-old was scratched sometime after Monday's contest. |
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| Mar 5 2018 | Taylor was scratched from Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals due to mild right side tightness, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | Specifics regarding the issue remain vague, but the early diagnosis is a bit ominous seeing as Taylor missed close to a month of the 2017 season with a strained oblique. It's possible the Nationals are simply being cautious, however. Either way, it will be a situation worth monitoring in the coming days. |
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| Jan 12 2018 | Taylor agreed to a one-year, $2.525 million deal with the Nationals on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post reports. | This was Taylor's first year as an arbitration-eligible player. Last season was essentially a challenge year for Taylor, as it was his last chance to prove he could do enough on both sides of the ball to be an everyday player for the Nationals. He passed the test, sporting a 105 wRC+ with 19 home runs, 17 steals and excellent outfield defense. That said, he needs build off that campaign if he wants to keep top prospect Victor Robles at bay this year. The uncertainty that Robles creates in the Nationals' outfield is allowing Taylor to be had a discount in drafts, relative to his talent, but it also adds an element of risk that does not accompany most power/speed outfielders entering their age-27 seasons. |
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| Sep 22 2017 | Taylor is out of the starting lineup against the Mets on Friday, Dan Kolko of MASN Sports reports. | Taylor receives a standard day off following nine consecutive starts, while Victor Robles patrols center in his stead. The 26-year-old is currently in the midst of his best major-league season up to this point, slashing .271/.316/.477 and adding 16 home runs and 49 RBI on the year. |
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| Sep 10 2017 | Taylor isn't in the lineup Sunday against the Phillies. | Taylor has been terrific at the plate lately. Over the last four games he's gone 9-for-15 (.600) with three home runs, nine RBI, and five runs scored. He'll get the day off while Victor Robles makes his MLB debut and hits fifth. |
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| Sep 9 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-3 with a homer, a walk and three RBI Saturday against the Phillies. | Taylor's 16th homer of the year pulled the Nationals within two runs of the Phillies in the fourth inning, though Washington was unable to pull out the victory. He's now homered in three of the last four games while collecting nine hits over that span, and he appears ready to go on a tear at the perfect time for fantasy owners. |
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| Sep 8 2017 | Taylor went 4-for-5 with a triple, a homer, two runs and five RBI Friday against the Phillies. | Taylor's 15th homer was of the inside-the-Park variety, and gave the Nationals their first lead of the game in the third inning of a home win. He's starting off September on a positive note, as he now has three homers along with three multi-hit games, and his timing may be right to help fantasy owners when they need him most. |
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| Sep 6 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-3 with a homer and a walk against Miami on Wednesday. | He also struck out, as usual. Taylor came into this game in the midst of an ugly slump, as he managed to hit just .200/.264/.287 with one homer over a 24-game span -- a run that serves as a reminder of his volatility in fantasy. Taylor can go on brilliant hot streaks in which he flashes both his power and his speed, but he also tends to fall into skids pretty often thanks to his prolific whiffing. |
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| Sep 2 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a home run in Saturday's win over the Brewers. | The home run off Josh Hader -- just the second long ball Hader's given up in 32.2 innings -- was Taylor's first since his return from an oblique injury in mid-August. Taylor is hitting just .229 since his activation and he will remain a batting-average liability so long as his strikeout rate is over 30 percent, but he's playing regularly and the homers and steals can come in bunches when he's hot. |
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| Aug 29 2017 | Taylor is out of Tuesday's lineup against the Marlins, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports. | He has played in every game since coming off the DL on Aug. 13, but is hitting just .196 with zero home runs and a 31.1 percent strikeout rate in 56 at-bats over that stretch. Alejandro De Aza is starting in center field and hitting second. |
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| Aug 13 2017 | Taylor (oblique) was activated from the 10-day disabled list Sunday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports. He will not be in the lineup for the first game of Sunday's doubleheader against the Giants. | Taylor had been on the disabled list with a strained right oblique since July 7, but was able to compete in numerous minor-league rehab games over the past two weeks. He'll rejoin the active roster as Bryce Harper (knee) heads to the disabled list himself. The 26-year-old was hitting .278/.320/.510 with 10 stolen bases before hitting the DL over a month ago. |
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| Aug 11 2017 | Taylor (oblique) went 1-for-3 with an RBI, two walks, and three stolen bases in a rehab game with Double-A Harrisburg on Thursday. | Taylor's base knock was just his second hit over a five-game stretch of rehab outings, but the three steals indicate he is running without issue. The Nationals may want him to get a few more at-bats under his belt before activating him from the disabled list, but he is closing in on a return to the big club. |
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| Aug 8 2017 | Taylor (oblique) will move his rehab assignment to Double-A Harrisburg before likely being activated from the 10-day disabled list early next week, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports. | Taylor seemingly experienced no issues with his oblique during his six rehab games with High-A Potomac, but after the outfielder went 3-for-19 at the dish in those contests, the Nationals decided it was best to extend the minor-league assignment. He'll presumably receive a full slate of at-bats while regularly playing center field during his time at Harrisburg, and if all goes well, Taylor could be activated ahead of the Nationals' series opener with the Angels on Aug. 15. Once he's back with the big club, Taylor should settle back into an everyday role in the outfield, pushing either Brian Goodwin or Howie Kendrick (back) to the bench on a more frequent basis. |
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| Aug 7 2017 | Taylor (oblique) could remain on a minor-league rehab assignment for another week before returning from the 10-day disabled list, Dan Kolko of MASN Sports reports. | Taylor kicked off his rehab assignment with High-A Potomac last week and has appeared in six games, but has struggled to find his swing, going 3-for-19 with seven strikeouts in those contests. On a more fortunate note, it doesn't sound like Taylor has experienced any setbacks with the oblique injury, so once he shows some signs of a turnaround at the plate, his activation could soon follow. While the Nationals continue to await Taylor's return, the newly acquired Howie Kendrick will hold down a full-time role in the outfield. |
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| Aug 4 2017 | Taylor (oblique) will start in center field for High-A Potomac on Friday after taking Thursday off, Byron Kerr of MASN Sports reports. | Taylor is 2-for-7 over his first three tuneup outings with the P-Nats and may return to the major-league club Monday, as they start a homestand with the Marlins. Unless Taylor struggles in his early reps back on the field, his return would reduce or all but eliminate Brian Goodwin's playing time. However, Taylor is in the midst of a breakout season of sorts, with a solid .278/.320/.510 line, 12 home runs and 10 stolen bases across 260 plate appearances. |
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| Aug 1 2017 | Taylor (oblique) went 0-for-2 in a rehab game with High-A Potomac on Monday. | Taylor served as the DH Monday and was limited to just the two at-bats, but most importantly, he escaped the contest without any mention of a setback. Taylor figures to play at least another minor-league game or two before being activated from the disabled list, but his return to the Nationals should not be far off. |
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| Jul 31 2017 | Taylor (oblique) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with High-A Potomac on Monday, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | This is an encouraging development, as Taylor is one step closer to returning to the big club after successfully ramping up his baseball activities over the past week. It's unclear how long he'll need on a rehab assignment, but more should be known after he gets back into game action. Barring any setbacks, a mid-August return is looking likely, while Brian Goodwin should continue to cover center field in his absence. |
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| Jul 30 2017 | Taylor (oblique) played catch Sunday, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | Slowly but surely, Taylor is ramping up his activity. He's also expected to take some dry swings soon, although no word has come forth as to exactly when that will be. Look for Brian Goodwin to continue manning center field in his stead. |
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| Jul 25 2017 | Taylor (oblique) could begin taking light swings in a couple of days, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports. | He continues to recover slowly from the oblique injury that landed him on the DL back on July 7. The Nationals are incredibly thin in the outfield right now, as Ryan Raburn is on the bereavement list and Chris Heisey is on the DL, so Brian Goodwin and Adam Lind have been starting next to Bryce Harper lately. |
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| Jul 19 2017 | Taylor (oblique) is still being limited to core exercises, Pete Kerzel of MASN reports. | After Taylor said he was hopeful to return to baseball injuries this weekend, manager Dusty Baker came out and said they are still limiting the center fielder to avoid bringing him back too soon. While no return date has been offered, the cautiousness suggests it will probably be at least until August before we see Taylor in a game again. |
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| Jul 15 2017 | Taylor (oblique) said he's progressing and hoping to resume some baseball activities Saturday, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports. | The training staff will have the final say as to what Taylor is allowed to do, but the outfielder thinks he's fine to throw and perhaps hit off a tee despite being just nine days removed from suffering the injury. Taylor was hitting surprisingly well despite a 31.2 percent K-rate before going down, and it's a near certainty that he will return to an everyday role in center once healthy. |
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| Jul 7 2017 | Taylor was placed on the 10-day DL with a right oblique strain Friday, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | The outfielder was lifted from Thursday's game in the fourth inning with the injury and the team wasted little time in putting him on the DL just prior the All-Star break. The initial hope is that Taylor will be able to use the upcoming off days to rest up and join the team shortly after they return to action next weekend against Cincinnati. Brian Goodwin will take over as the primary centerfielder in his absence, though Chris Heisey -- who was activated from the disabled list in a corresponding move -- could see some playing time as well. |
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| Jul 7 2017 | Taylor will be placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a mild right oblique strain, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | The center fielder left Thursday's game in the fourth inning -- perhaps as a result of that extended "rain" delay. As for Taylor, he'd been dealing with oblique pain for some time, perhaps the injury being the cause of his two-game breather in late June. This may take more than the minimum 10-day DL stay to get right, so this could open up some work in the meantime for Wilmer Difo, and Brian Goodwin should continue patrolling a starting spot until Jayson Werth (toe) resurfaces. During his impending absence, Chris Heisey (biceps) will be activated to take his place on the roster. |
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| Jul 6 2017 | Taylor (undisclosed) exited Thursday's game against the Braves in the fourth inning, MASN's Dan Kolko reports. | Brian Goodwin has taken over in center field in place of Taylor and Ryan Raburn has entered the game out in left. The Nationals have yet to announce the cause behind Taylor's early departure Thursday, but Kolko did note that the speedy outfielder ran gingerly to first base on a groundout. More updates on Taylor's status figure to be made available late Thursday or early Friday. |
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| Jul 4 2017 | Taylor went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run in Monday's win over the Mets. | His eighth-inning blast, Taylor's 12th homer of the year, broke a scoreless tie and appeared to have the Nats lined up for the win before their near-inevitable bullpen meltdown in the top of the ninth tied it back up. The 26-year-old now carries an electric .400/.463/.829 slash line over his last 10 games with four homers, two steals, 10 runs and 10 RBI. |
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| Jul 1 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-3 with a walk in Friday's loss to the Cardinals. | The Nats' new No. 2 hitter did get picked off first base in the third inning, but otherwise he did his job at the top of the order. Taylor now boasts a .412/.462/.824 slash line over his last 10 games with three homers, four steals, 10 runs and 10 RBI. |
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| Jul 1 2017 | Taylor is starting in center field and batting leadoff Saturday against the Cardinals, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports. | With regular leadoff man Trea Turner (wrist) out for an extended period of time, manager Dusty Baker is giving Taylor a look at the top of the order for the first time all season. Taylor has been zoned in over the past 10 games, slashing an impressive .412/.462/.824 with three homers, four steals, 10 runs and 10 RBI. Even if he's not leading off, he should continue to see favorable placement in the batting order while he's swinging a hot bat. |
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| Jun 28 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, two RBI and two stolen bases in Tuesday's win over the Cubs. | He's banged out at least one extra-base hit in six straight starts, and Taylor now has a scorching .462/.481/1.000 slash line with three homers, four steals, nine RBI and nine runs over that stretch. The 26-year-old's shaky plate discipline makes it likely that his .836 OPS on the year will begin to fade at some point, but as long as he's making enough contact to take advantage of his power and speed he'll have fantasy value. |
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| Jun 25 2017 | Taylor went 1-for-4 with a two-run shot Sunday against the Reds. | Taylor's fourth-inning blast to left center accounted for all of the runs the Nationals would push across against the Reds on Sunday. The 26-year-old is now 16-for-42 (.381) with 11 extra-base hits (five home runs) and 11 RBI in his last 11 games. |
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| Jun 24 2017 | Taylor went 4-for-5 with a double, two homers, four runs and three RBI Saturday against the Reds. | Taylor blasted his ninth and 10th homers of the season in a game in which the Nationals blew up offensively. Although he's been weak in terms of batting average and on-base percentage, he's been able to provide fantasy owners with a very solid .507 slugging percentage. |
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| Jun 24 2017 | Taylor said he was "just banged up" and needed a couple days of rest after sitting for two games earlier this week, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | This is great news concerning the long-term health of Taylor and fantasy owners can safely expect him to be in the starting lineup moving forward. The rest seems to have paid off, considering his 4-for-5 performance Saturday against the Reds which included two home runs and three RBI. |
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| Jun 24 2017 | Taylor (undisclosed) is starting in center field and batting eighth Saturday against the Reds, Dan Kolko of MASN Sports reports. | Taylor is good to go after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury. The 26-year-old, who is slashing .260/.294/.465 with eight homers and seven stolen bases in 60 games (211 plate appearances) this season, will face Homer Bailey in his return to the starting lineup. |
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| Jun 23 2017 | Taylor (undisclosed) is not in the lineup Friday against the Reds, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports. | Taylor remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury after being scratched from Wednesday's game against the Marlins. It's unclear how long the injury will keep him sidelined at this point, but Wilmer Difo was recalled from Triple-A and will start in his place in center field for Friday's series opener. |
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| Jun 21 2017 | Taylor has been scratched from Wednesday's starting lineup, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports. | A reason for his scratch was not immediately provided. Brian Goodwin is now slated to play center field as Ryan Raburn slots into the lineup in left, batting seventh. |
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| Jun 21 2017 | Manager Dusty Baker said Taylor is "a little injured," but would not reveal more, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports. | Taylor was scratched from Wednesday's lineup, replaced by Brian Goodwin in center with Ryan Raburn slotting into left field. Baker did say the team knew Tuesday that Taylor's availability for the series finale could be jeopardized as a result of the issue, but he did not elaborate further. The Nats begin a four-game set with the Reds on Friday. |
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| Jun 16 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a second run scored and a stolen base in Friday's 7-2 win over the Mets. | The homer was his eighth of the season and second in as many nights, while the steal was his fifth of the year. Taylor's now gone 10-for-25 (.400) over his last six games, and despite typically being stuck at the bottom of the Nats' order he can still supply plenty of fantasy value while he's hot. |
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| Jun 15 2017 | Taylor went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Thursday's win over the Mets. | Taylor flashes fantasy promise but has struggled with game-to-game inconsistency that's likely tied to his 32.6 strikeout percentage. Add his unsustainably high .357 BABIP, and it could prove difficult for the outfielder to maintain his respectable .261/.295/.461 slash line. Still, there are plenty of settings where his counting stats are serviceable, and being attached to an elite offense is a nice virtual buoy. |
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| Jun 14 2017 | Taylor is out of Wednesday's lineup against the Braves, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports. | He has started the last 25 games, hitting .258/.294/.454 with four home runs and two steals over the last 97 at-bats. Brian Goodwin will get the start in center field and hit seventh. |
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| Jun 13 2017 | Taylor went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI in Monday's loss to the Braves. | It's been feast or famine for Taylor lately, as he has four multi-hit performances and six hitless ones in his last 11 games. His .733 OPS so far this season would still be a career best, but the 26-year-old's woeful plate discipline will make it difficult for him to maintain that pace over the summer. |
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| Jun 5 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Sunday's win over the A's. | It's his second homer and third multi-hit performance in the last five games, and Taylor has a .350/.435/.750 slash line with six runs and four RBI over that stretch. With Jayson Werth (toe) currently out of action, Taylor could be a candidate to move into the two-hole for a few games, potentially making him an even more appealing DFS option. |
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| Jun 3 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-5 in Friday's rout of the A's, hitting a solo home run in the second inning and scoring on a double in the seventh. | He continues to put up strong numbers in center field for the Nats, and Taylor now has a .311/.346/.595 slash line with five homers, 12 RBI and 13 runs in his last 19 games. Even hitting towards the bottom of the order, Washington's offense is more than dangerous enough to supply Taylor with regular run-producing opportunities, giving him a solid fantasy floor despite a 33.1 percent strikeout rate on the season. |
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| May 31 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBI in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Giants. | The 26-year-old has stepped up since Adam Eaton (knee) was lost for the season, and Taylor now has a .298/.336/.500 slash line with four homers, three steals, 14 RBI and 15 runs in 27 games since taking over as the Nats' starting center fielder, His batting average is likely due for some regression given his 6:38 BB:K in 104 at-bats over that stretch, but his power and speed should allow him to maintain some fantasy value regardless. |
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| May 28 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 3-0 win over the Padres. | He's now homered in back-to-back games, giving Taylor four long balls on the year, and the 26-year-old is now slashing .296/.337/.543 in May. His 34.2 percent strikeout rate makes it unlikely he'll be able to keep hitting for a high batting average, but he should be able to supply solid power and speed numbers as the Nats' starting center fielder. |
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| May 26 2017 | Taylor went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer Friday against the Padres. | Taylor blasted his third bomb of the campaign to break a 1-1 tie that the Nationals would never relinquish. He's been a disappointing fantasy option this year, as evidenced by his .266/.302/.431 slash line. |
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| May 17 2017 | Taylor is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Pirates, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. | Taylor has thrived in his newfound full-time role in center field, as he's batted .328 with eight extra-base hits in 15 games since claiming the spot. However, he'll get the night off despite his strong showing, with Brian Goodwin moving into the lineup to fill in for him. |
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| May 15 2017 | Taylor went 1-for-4 with a two-run, game-winning home run in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader against the Phillies. | After going 2-for-4 with a run scored in the first game of Sunday's twin bill, Taylor crushed the first pitch he saw from Pat Neshak in the eighth inning of the nightcap to give the Nats a split. The homer was Taylor's second of the season and second in four games, as the 26-year-old looks to firm up his hold on the starting center field spot. |
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| May 14 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Saturday's win over the Phillies. | He's still striking out too much (37.5 percent) to expect much improvement in his .254/.292/.388 slash line, but Taylor will remain the Nats' starting center fielder unless his production completely craters, giving him some fantasy value simply by virtue of being a regular part of one of the most dangerous offenses in baseball. |
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| May 10 2017 | Taylor went 2-for-4 with his first homer of the year and two strikeouts in Wednesday's win over Baltimore. | That's Taylor in a nutshell: intriguing power, good speed, and tons of strikeouts. He hit eighth in this game after going 2-for-19 with 10 strikeouts over the past five, and it'll probably take more than one nice game for Taylor to hit his way out of that lineup slot. |
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