(Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

by Rowan Kavner

(Editor’s Note: Throughout the offseason, Dodger Insider will recap each position group from the 2017 season. We start with center field.)

OVERVIEW

The majority of regular season starts at center field this year went to Joc Pederson, particularly at the beginning of the year, until Chris Taylor’s outfield breakthrough. By year’s end, Taylor was patrolling center field, and that would continue throughout the playoffs.

Pederson started the year off with fireworks, hitting a grand slam in the regular season opener. The center field spot belonged to him throughout April until a groin injury sent him to the disabled list. Andrew Toles then shifted from left field to center field to end the month, with Kiké Hernández sprinkling in a few starts against left-handed pitchers.

Pederson returned in early May and reclaimed his spot until suffering a concussion while smashing into Yasiel Puig going for a fly ball May 23.

Then, manager Dave Roberts went with an inkling and placed Taylor in center field. It was the first time the infielder had played in the outfield in his Major League career. “I like the speed component,” Roberts said before Taylor earned his first center field start of the year. Taylor immediately looked like he belonged, and his breakout 2017 season continued to gain steam.

When Pederson returned from the DL, Taylor bumped over to left field, where Toles was no longer available after a season-ending ACL injury. By mid-August, Taylor was back in center field. He’d eventually stick there in the midst of a season in which he’d set career highs across the board. Taylor settled into the leadoff spot in the Dodger lineup while finishing the year with 21 home runs and an .850 OPS. Despite his lack of experience in center, Taylor had more assists (three) than errors (one) at the position.

PLAYING BREAKDOWN

*Note: The Dodgers were the only team to use 10 different players in center field at some point during the regular season.

· Joc Pederson (72 starts, 92 appearances, 655 2/3 innings)

· Chris Taylor (47 starts, 49 appearances, 395 innings)

· Kiké Hernández (16 starts, 34 appearances, 163 2/3 innings)

· Andrew Toles (6 starts, 10 appearances, 64 1/3 innings)

· Trayce Thompson (8 starts, 9 appearances, 56 2/3 innings)

· Alex Verdugo (4 starts, 6 appearances, 33 innings)

· Brett Eibner (4 starts, 5 appearances, 30 innings)

· Cody Bellinger (3 starts, 4 appearances, 27 innings)

· Curtis Granderson (2 starts, 6 appearances, 18 1/3 innings)

· Scott Van Slyke (0 starts, 1 appearance, 1 inning)

(Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

TEAM STATS (CF)

(Note: The following stats are accumulated for players who played that position at the time of the at-bat. For example, only Chris Taylor’s stats while playing CF are included, rather than Taylor’s overall stats for the year. Most stats are via FanGraphs, unless otherwise stated.)

AVG: .215 (30th in MLB, 15th in NL)

OBP: .305 (25th in MLB, 13th in NL)

SLG: .379 (26th in MLB, 14th in NL)

OPS: .685 (27th in MLB, 14th in NL)

HR: 21 (10th in MLB, 7th in NL)

R: 90 (17th in MLB, 12th in NL)

RBI: 71 (13th in MLB, 7th in NL)

wOBA (Weighted On-Base Average): .298 (27th in MLB, 14th in NL)

wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus): 84 (26th in MLB, 13th in NL)

K: 152 (16th most in MLB, 8th in NL)

BB: 65 (T-8th in MLB, 6th in NL)

WAR (according to Baseball Ref): 1.4 (24th in MLB, 12th in NL)

BASERUNNING (CF)

SB: 10 (26th in MLB, 12th in NL)

CS: 6 (T-9th best in MLB, T-4th in NL)

rBR (Baserunning Runs via Baseball Reference): 1 (T-16th in MLB, T-8th in NL)

DEFENSE (CF)

Def (Defensive Runs Above Average): -0.8 (23rd in MLB, 12th in NL)

UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating): -3.3 (23rd in MLB, 12th in NL)

DRS (Defensive Runs Saved): -13 (T-26th in MLB, 13th in NL)

ARM (Outfield Arm Runs): 3.7 (7th in MLB, 5th in NL)

Assists: 8 (T-12th in MLB, T-7th in NL)

Errors: 3 (T-4th in MLB, T-2nd in NL)

Fielding %: .991 (T-9th in MLB, 6th in NL)

TOP THREE (BY PLAYING TIME)

Joc Pederson

Regular Season

Overall — .212/.331/.407, 11 HR, 35 RBI, 44 R, 4 SB

As CF — .220/.334/.429, 11 HR, 43 R, 35 RBI, 3 SB

Fielding, As CF — 1 A, 1 E, .993 FP, -12 DRS, -5.4 UZR, -0.2 ARM, -4.2 Def

Postseason

Overall — .254/.356/.524, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 12 R, 2 SB

Chris Taylor

Regular Season

Overall — .288/.354/.496, 21 HR, 72 RBI, 85 R, 17 SB

As CF — .213/.279/.333, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 26 R, 7 SB

Fielding, As CF — 3 A, 1 E, .989 FP, 0 DRS, 0.6 UZR, 0.5 ARM, 1.3 Def

Postseason

Overall — .254/.380/.508, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 12 R, 0 SB

Kiké Hernández

Regular Season

Overall — .215/.308/.421, 11 HR, 37 RBI, 46 R, 3 SB

As CF — .200/.274/.345, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 8 R, 0 SB

Fielding, As CF — 3 A, 1 E, .977 FP, -1 DRS, 1.1 UZR, 2.2 ARM, 1.4 Def

Postseason

Overall — .261/.404/.478, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 9 R, 1 SB

HIGHLIGHT MOMENTS

Pederson drove in a career-high five runs while hitting the Dodgers’ first home run of the 2017 season with a grand slam in the third inning of Opening Day. The 5 RBI were the most by a Dodger in a season opener since Raul Mondesi recorded six on April 5, 1999

After his monstrous first game of the season, Pederson saved some of his best for last. After getting optioned earlier in the year, Pederson came back with a vengeance in the World Series, hitting three home runs against the Astros, including the first hit of the game off Justin Verlander in Game 2 and a game-sealing Game 5 homer at Minute Maid Park. By then, Pederson had shifted to left field for the postseason.

Taylor hit three grand slams this season, which tied for the second in the Majors and tied for the most ever in Dodger franchise history with four other players. Taylor finished 6-for-10 with three home runs and 20 RBI with the bases loaded in 2017, while also walking four times.

Among Taylor’s many accomplishments in 2017, including a walk-off single July 6 against the Diamondbacks, Taylor also added his first career inside-the-park home run Sept. 18 at Philadelphia. It was his third career leadoff home run, all of which came this season. Taylor would add another leadoff home run on the first pitch of the World Series.

ANALYSIS/LOOKING FORWARD

Pederson ended the 2017 season on a high note after a frustrating year that included early-season injuries, which may have contributed to some uncharacteristic numbers at the plate and in the field.

As a team, the Dodgers will look to raise their 2017 numbers in center field both offensively and defensively, but Taylor brought some stability to the position late in the year as the everyday player in a career year. He became one of the NL’s top leadoff hitters, finishing the season with a .901 OPS in his 74 games hitting first in the lineup, and will look to pick up where he left off in 2018.

The Dodgers also had the luxury of placing Hernández anywhere they needed against left-handed pitching in 2017. Center field was in that mix, and he proved above average at the spot in his limited work. All three should be part of the fold in 2018, as well, with Taylor under team control and Pederson and Hernández eligible for arbitration.

The Dodgers also saw the Major League debut this year of Alex Verdugo, one of their top prospects, who should be part of the future outfield mix. Curtis Granderson, who was acquired Aug. 19 from the Mets, is the only free agent among the Dodgers’ 2017 center fielders.