Dodgers Mr. Clutch Turns Down Qualifying Offer

The Los Angeles Dodgers owe a nice chunk of their playoff success in recent years to the clutch hitting of super-utilityman Chris Taylor.

Now Taylor is officially on the market for the highest bidder, after he turned down the Dodgers' qualifying offer of $18.4 Million. Taylor made $7.8M in 2021, but he figures he's earned himself a long-term contract with a big raise, after his record-breaking heroics in the playoffs.

Taylor set FIVE postseason marks in Game 5 of the NLCS alone, including most HR and total bases in a potential elimination game, and most HR in elimination games in one postseason. He had the walk-off homer in the Wild Card game as well. He was also clutch in the 2020 playoffs that led to a Dodgers World Series.

The 31-year-old can start and play sound defense at six different positions on the field. As noted by MLB Insider and former major league GM Jim Bowden, "Taylor's versatility is a game-changer." Bowden sees Taylor getting a 4-year contract somewhere, with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants being the Dodgers' biggest competition for signing him.

As Dodger fans will tell you, it's hard to overestimate Taylor's value to this team over the past five years.