In a city where baseball loyalties run deep and rivalries even deeper, it’s not every day you see a player switch allegiances so smoothly. Chris Taylor, the Dodgers’ reliable utility man, recently made a surprising move across town to join the Angels. While fans are still adjusting to the sight of Taylor donning red instead of Dodger blue, the veteran has now made headlines for another reason entirely.

Well, Taylor made the Dodgers’ fans go emotional with a heartwarming social media post yesterday. “I’m beyond grateful to have been a part of the Dodger family for the past 9 years…. I especially want to thank all of my coaches, teammates, and the Dodger fans. Playing for this team has been a dream come true, and I have created friendships and memories that will last a lifetime,” he wrote on Instagram.

It was surely a good ride for Taylor with the Dodgers. What’s more surprising is that both parties moved away seamlessly. That’s without any controversies and bad mouthing each other. Even though he is going to don the red now, Taylor will always be the Dodgers’ guy. But before acknowledging his tenure with the Dodgers, the 34-year-old also cleared the air about what he thinks about his controversial statement against the Yankees last year.

Remember when Taylor took a dig at the Yankees after the Dodgers took away the 2024 World Series and that infamous game 5? “S— down their leg,” he had said during an appearance on teammate Mookie Betts’ podcast to refer to how the Yankees blew up even after they were leading in game 5. That was the most viral remark by a Dodgers player during last year’s World Series. And well, Taylor is sticking to his words even after he has traveled to the Angels.

“Honestly. I didn’t think I was saying anything super critical, to me. I think if you would have asked them, they would have said the same thing. That’s kind of how I felt about it,” Taylor said to The Athletic on Wednesday, May 28. “I didn’t mean any offense by it. To me, it was just like, I was kind of stating the fact,” he further added.

Taylor’s admiration for the Yankees still seems to hold strong, even while wearing an Angels uniform. And honestly, you shouldn’t be surprised if he ends up playing in pinstripes someday again. That’s just how the game works. These kinds of playful exchanges are part of what makes baseball so engaging and competitive.

Now, as Taylor has started his new journey with the Angels, it’s to be seen how it goes. With the Dodgers, he got to play in the World Series. But with the Angels, it, surely, will be more difficult to make it to the postseason.

Chris Taylor started his new innings on an expected note

Well, Taylor’s start with the Angels was not wild. Call it a coincidence or not, he started his new journey with the Angeles against the Yankees only! Wasting no time, he was immediately slotted into the lineup as the Angels’ No. 8 hitter in the series opener.

The Angels, currently sitting below .500, are banking on Taylor. It’s only natural for them to seek a veteran’s presence and versatility in a roster that is in need of a spark. While Taylor is capable of playing all over the field, you can expect to see the bulk of his starts at second base. But the first game was nothing special.

Taylor had a rough debut in his first game with the Angels, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Wearing red and white for the first time, his night got off to a shaky start as he went down swinging below the zone in his opening at-bat. In his second trip to the plate, he managed to make contact but flew out harmlessly.

His third and final at-bat in the bottom of the eighth ended the same way it began. Yes, another swinging strikeout. So, it was a quiet night for Taylor and a frustrating one for the Angels, who fell to the Yankees by a score of 5-1. Nothing changed for the Angels, and for Taylor, well, it’s too early to conclude on his new destination.