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UVA Baseball alum Chris Taylor released by the Los Angeles Dodgers

Chris Graham
Chris Taylor uva baseball
Chris Taylor (3) fields a ground ball and throws to first base during the game between Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 13, 2025, at Dodger Stadium. Photo: David Dennis/Icon Sportswire

The Los Angeles Dodgers released UVA Baseball alum Chris Taylor on Sunday, ending Taylor’s 10-season run with the storied MLB franchise.

Taylor, 34, who slashed .296/.384/.422 in two seasons at Virginia, and had the game-winning walk-off hit that sent the 2011 ‘Hoos to the College World Series, only got 35 plate appearances with the Dodgers this spring, after slashing a career-low .202/.298/.300 in 2024.

Taylor was in the final year of a four-year, $60 million deal that he signed in the 2021 offseason.

From 2017-2021, Taylor slashed .265/.345/.456 with 78 homers, 234 extra-base hits and 50 stolen bases, and 14.6 WAR, while getting starts at second, third, shortstop and all three outfield positions.

A 2021 NL All-Star, Taylor was the co-MVP of the 2017 NL Championship Series, hit a walk-off homer in the 2021 NL wild-card game, and had a three-homer game in the 2021 NCLS.

The Dodgers bought end the remainder of Taylor’s contract, making him a free agent.

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].