A thousand-plus games, two World Series, and an NLCS MVP in a career that spanned ten seasons, Chris Taylor was that ballplayer who always stepped up for his team. But a slump in the last season forced the Dodgers to reduce his role in the team. In 2024, the 34-year-old hit just .202/.298/.300 with four homers and 23 RBI in 246 plate appearances across 87 games. Yes, he missed a few games due to a left groin strain, but even Taylor knew that his best days are way past now.

Dave Roberts’ current roster is filled with superstars for every position. So, when Taylor was having a tough time at the plate, the Dodgers’ skipper was clear with his demands. Improve or adjust with a Limited role. “There’s just got to be an adjustment. There’s got to be an adjustment, whatever that means,” Roberts said before the start of the season. So, Taylor, who wanted to contribute more to his team, had no option but to switch his base to a different ballpark.

“That was one thing with the Dodgers this year, just my role, I wasn’t getting on the field that much,” Taylor, who found a new home in Anaheim last week, said, “I’m really looking forward to getting consistent at-bats and playing time.” Well, the former Dodgers star may not have gotten a fairytale ending in Los Angeles, but Taylor’s recent message to the Blues is enough to melt their heart.

“I’m beyond grateful to have been a part of the Dodger family for the past 9 years,” Taylor wrote on Instagram. “It was a hell of a run with plenty of peaks and valleys, and I wouldn’t change a thing,” Chris Taylor captioned his farewell post on Instagram. That quote, paired with a photo of Taylor, his partner, and their child standing on the grass at Dodger Stadium, was all it took to send fans into their feelings. Because this wasn’t just another player moving teams.

This was CT3, the man who slugged the walk-off homer in the 2021 Wild Card Game, who played nearly every position without complaint, who led by example through every high and low. And now? He’s walking into a new clubhouse just 30 miles down the 5 freeway, ready to wear red and represent the Angels.

While discussing his time with the Dodgers, the two-time World Series champ also revealed why he chose the Angels as his next team. Apart from not going too far to switch his home, Taylor is set to join forces with Kenley Jansen and Tyler Anderson, who once donned blue with the 34-year-old in LA. “It’s always nice having guys you played with,” Taylor added. “I know a few of these guys. It’s good to have familiar faces, especially when you’re trying to get acclimated.”

Well, Chris may have left, but his legacy in L.A. isn’t. It’s stitched into the walls of the clubhouse, into those electric playoff nights, and into the fans who watched him do the little things right for nearly a decade. The uniform may change, but the respect stays.

Chris Taylor’s Dodgers legacy that won’t fade

Not every hero wears a cape; sometimes, they just wear number 3 and play wherever their team needs them. For the better part of a decade, Chris Taylor did exactly that in Dodger blue. He wasn’t always the headline-grabber or the face on billboards, but if you followed the team closely, you knew he was often the guy who came through when it mattered most. Versatile, unassuming, and relentless, Taylor carved out a niche as the Dodgers’ ultimate glue guy, the kind every contender needs but few fans outside L.A. truly appreciated.

Take October 6th from 2021, as an example. During a National League Wild Card game between the Dodgers and Cardinals, Taylor made a memorable moment by hitting a two-run homer in the 9th inning to secure a walk-off victory. The impactful swing not only clinched the game but also prolonged the Dodgers’ impressive 106-win season while transforming Dodger Stadium into a vibrant sea of cheering blue-clad fans. Taylor’s heroics did not end there. A fortnight later, during Game 5 of the NLCS against the Braves he hit three home runs and entered the league of greats such as Kike Hernandez and Reggie Jackson, in postseason history lore. A Taylor game displaying calm assurance and remarkable outcomes.

Moments like those defined his legacy, not just for what he did, but when he did it. He wasn’t flashy, but he was the guy you trusted with the season on the line. His former teammate Justin Turner once said, “CT is that guy who shows up when the lights are brightest. Doesn’t matter where he’s playing, left field, shortstop, second, he’s going to find a way to help us win.” That quote wasn’t lip service. It was earned across years of clutch hits, diving plays, and postseason heroics that helped anchor the Dodgers during their golden era.

Taylor didn’t need to ask for the spotlight, it found him whenever the moment demanded it.