Cody Snavely
As the Los Angeles Dodgers travel to San Diego to face the Padres for a three-game set, they will also be accompanied by left-handed outfielder Jason Heyward, who is close to returning with the team as his back pain has subsided.
On May 3rd, Jason Heyward demonstrated his readiness by participating fully in pregame workouts and taking swings during batting practice. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Heyward would travel with the team to gain some live at-bats. This is a crucial step before a rehab assignment is planned for the 34-year-old veteran.
However, when Heyward does inevitably return, that will put Dave Roberts and Andrew Freidman in an odd spot. Someone on the 26-man roster will have to bite the bullet in his place, and who that person is remains to be seen, although there are a few candidates already.
Pages is here to stay regardless of Heyward’s activation
One move that will not happen is a potential demotion of Dodgers top prospect Andy Pages, who has earned a spot to remain on the 26-man roster in his short time at the Major League level.
Since his call-up in April, Pages has hit .308/.329/.526 with a .855 OPS, 140 OPS+, 4 HR, and 13 RBI while also posting above-average defense in the outfield, ranking in the 88th percentile in OAA (outs above average).
Pages has been an integral part of the Dodgers lineup, sparking life in the bottom third of the order, allowing the big three (Betts, Ohtani, Freeman) to drive in runners.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
The Dodgers allowed Pages to run away with a starting job, making him a regular starter facing both left-handed and right-handed pitching while also allowing him to play LF, CF, and RF at ease. This allowed the Dodgers to shift Teoscar Hernández and Kiké Hernández around as well.
While Pages is not collecting many walks, his .329 OBP ranks fourth on the roster, and his bat-to-ball skills remain unmatched, ranking in the 99th percentile for sweet spot percentage. All of this has cemented his place on the roster, and when Heyward does return, do not expect to see Pages on a plane to Triple-A OKC anytime soon.
Outman’s continued struggles could lead to demotion
Entering the 2023 season, there was a lot of upside for James Outman, who was set to replace fan-favorite Cody Bellinger as the team’s primary center fielder. While the team did not expect the same level of production Bellinger gave the Dodgers from 2017-2020, they saw potential in Outman as an above-average everyday player.
Outman, through the ups and downs of a 162-game season, proved the Dodgers correct. He finished the 2023 season in the top three in National League Rookie of the Year voting, hitting .248/.535/.437 with a .790 OPS and 111 OPS+. However, there were holes in his swing, as Outman finished sixth in the league with 181 strikeouts.
Entering the 2024 season, Outman was expected to resume his role as the Dodgers’ everyday CF. Still, after a rough start to his season, in which the sophomore is hitting .163/.260/.293 and has an OPS+ of 58, the Dodgers are giving the lefty less playing time.
With the emergence of Andy Pages, the Dodgers are having a hard time giving playing time to their struggling bats. Even though it is only early May, these games still mean something in the long run.
James Outman is unique in this situation. He and Andy Pages are the only players mentioned in this article with minor-league options remaining. It would be easier to clear roster space by demoting the second-year slugger.
One of the most significant factors in Outman’s struggles this season is the uptick in his chase rate. In the 2023 season, he sat at a modest 73rd percentile but has dropped to the 37th percentile this season.
The struggles have been loud and clear for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who had this to say prior to the May 7th game against the Marlins.
James is really scuffling, he’s in between; Uncertainty with mechanics, uncertainty with his approach. When you’re in that spot, it’s tough to hit.
via Dave Roberts pregame media scrum 5/07/2024
The Dodgers hope Outman can figure it out over the next few weeks because if not, the left-handed free-swinger may be off to Triple-A to do so.
How long will the Chris Taylor burden last?
Amidst the ongoing discussions about the early-season slumps, the spotlight now falls on Chris Taylor. His performance is statistically the weakest among the Dodgers and across baseball, with a -15 OPS+.
Chris Taylor is in the midst of a 4-for-56 slump to kick off the 2024 campaign, hitting a slash line of .071/.209/.071, an OPS at .280, and has zero extra-base hits on the season as we approach the middle of May.
As far as the odd man out, Chris Taylor is the no-brainer answer; however, it is a lot more complicated than it seems, and the Dodgers can simply not cut him loose.
Adding to the complexity, Taylor’s contract poses a significant financial burden. With $26 million due over the next two seasons and a $12 million club option for 2026 ($4 million buyout), his contract is a challenging one to trade or release, given his current performance.
Another factor complicating the situation is Taylor’s 10-5 rights. As one of the few players in this elite group, he has the power to veto any trade and cannot be sent to the minor leagues. This further limits the team’s options for managing his performance.
Taylor can not be optioned to the minor leagues without consent since he has over five years of MLB service. So, if the team wants to send him to Triple-A to work on things, he would have to agree to the demotion, similar to what Astros first baseman José Abreu did a few weeks ago.
While Taylor is off to a terrible start this season, he has never blown away the league in previous seasons. His best year was the 2022 season when he was named an NL All-Star. He batted .254/.344/.438 with a .782 OPS, 20 HR, and 73 RBI.
However, the clock is ticking with Taylor, but do not expect the Dodgers to give up on the 33-year-old veteran as Dave Roberts reassured the team would position Taylor in the best position to get a runaway going.
And like I said, all spring and Seoul, he was squaring the baseball up, taking really good at-bats, minimizing the swing and miss. And once we started the season, it’s been different. He has been a streaky guy, and my trust hasn’t wavered in him. But we’ve got to keep running him out there, and hopefully something clicks
via Dave Roberts pregame scrum 5/07/2024
To many fans’ dismay, Taylor will continue seeing playing time until the Dodgers view they have a large enough sample size to make an accurate decision on his future with the club, similar to their outlook with Gavin Lux, who Roberts stated 150 at-bats was a good sample size.
What direction will the Dodgers go?
Jason Heyward is primed to begin his rehab series soon and, by all indications, could rejoin the team come their next homestand, which means the Dodgers will have to make a decision soon.
On the latest episode of the Bleed Los Podcast, I shared my thoughts on what I believe is the most likely scenario, and it goes as follows.
First, once Heyward is activated off the 10-day IL, the Dodgers will likely option James Outman to Triple-A OKC, where he can get everyday starts and work out whatever he needs to in the minor leagues.
As mentioned before, Outman and Pages are the only two players discussed who have options remaining. With Pages’ job safe, Outman is, unfortunately, the odd man out in this scenario.
If Chris Taylor is also going up to the plate as an automatic out, the Dodgers could try to find an injury causing his struggles and place him on the 10-day IL while he figures it out behind the scenes.
If the Dodgers option Outman and place Taylor on the IL, that leaves one more spot on the 26-man roster to be filled. I could see the Dodgers promoting Miguel Vargas, who has had a very productive year in OKC, hitting .287/.405/.971 with seven home runs, 30 RBI, and eight stolen bases.
Vargas, who was the Dodgers’ Opening Day second baseman in 2023, was demoted after a poor first half but played every start in left field for the OKC Baseball Club in 2024.
In this scenario, Pages becomes the Dodgers primary center fielder with Teoscar Hernández, Jason Heyward, and Miguel Vargas playing the corners depending on what hand the pitcher is throwing.
Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
