UVA Baseball alum Chris Taylor signs one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels

UVA Baseball alum Chris Taylor, released by the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 18, is already back in the bigs, signing with the Los Angeles Angels, sorta across town.

It’s 30.9 miles, but can still take a couple of hours to get from Dodger Stadium to Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

Be glad you don’t live out there.

“I do believe it was time,” said Taylor, who started in centerfield on Monday in a 5-1 loss to the New York Yankees, and was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

“It was my time to kind of start fresh, and hopefully turn the page and start a new chapter. I’m excited to do that here,” said 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,

The Angels signed Taylor to a one-year contract and will pay him a prorated amount based on the $760,000 MLB minimum.

The Dodgers bought out the final year of the four-year, $60 million contract that he signed in the 2021 offseason when they released him, so he’s doing OK.

Angels manager Ron Washington said Taylor will be used as a utility player, which was his role for 10 years with the Dodgers, getting starts at second, third, shortstop and all three outfield positions.

“He brings experience. It’s something we need in there,” Washington said. “He’s been through the wars. He’s a good piece for those young guys to talk to. He’s been in the grind over there in LA. And we want that. We’ve seen him play, and we’re going to give him an opportunity to see what he’s got left.”

Taylor only got 35 plate appearances with the Dodgers this spring, after slashing a career-low .202/.298/.300 in 2024.

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.

“I feel like I have a lot to prove to myself,” Taylor said. “I haven’t performed to how I feel I’m capable of playing the last couple seasons. I want to turn that around.”