Dodgers utilityman Chris Taylor has never been a big contact hitter. He led the league in strikeouts in 2018 with 178 and had another 167 last year. His strikeout rate since becoming an everyday player has been between 25 and 29.5 percent.
And yet, despite all the strikeouts, Taylor has posted a 113 OPS+ over the last five years, which, combined with his defensive skill and versatility, has made him a very valuable member of some very good Dodgers teams.
This year, though, is a different story. Or maybe just an extreme version of the same story.