ANAHEIM — Chris Taylor pulled on a new uniform in hopes of finding his old self.
A longtime Dodger until he was released earlier this month, Taylor signed with the Angels and was in the lineup in center field on Monday.
Although he was once a useful piece on the Dodgers’ annual playoff teams, lately he’s been struggling to reach that level.
“I feel like I have a lot to prove to myself,” Taylor said before his Angels debut. “I haven’t performed to how I feel I’m capable of playing the last couple seasons, and I kind of want to turn that around. Hopefully, I can just come in consistently and work hard every day, and help the team any way I can.”
Taylor, 34, spent most of his 12-year career with the Dodgers, playing a variety of positions. He has a career .250 batting average and a .749 OPS.
Over the last two seasons, though, Taylor hit .202 with a .580 OPS. The Dodgers released him earlier this month, eating more than $13 million remaining on his $60 million, four-year contract.
“It was emotional,” Taylor said of his departure from the Dodgers. “Obviously, I’ve been with the Dodgers for nine years, but I do believe it was time for me. It was time to kind of start fresh, and, you know, hopefully turn the page, start a new chapter. I’m excited to do that here.”
The Angels will pay him Taylor $518,925, a prorated share of the $760,000 major league minimum.
“He brings experience, something we need in here,” Manager Ron Washington said. “He’s been through the wars. He’s a good piece for those young guys to talk to about how to handle a grind. He’s been in the grind over there with L.A. every day winning, and we want that. We’ve seen him play, and we gonna give him an opportunity to see what he’s got left.”
Washington said Taylor will play outfield and infield with the Angels. At the moment, the more pressing need is in the outfield.
Kyren Paris, who had been splitting time in center field with Matthew Lugo, was optioned to Triple-A because of a deep slump.
Paris, 23, hit .419 with five home runs and a 1.514 OPS in his first 12 games, raising the possibility that he was headed for a breakout season with his new swing. After that, though, Paris hit .116 with 52 strikeouts in his next 102 plate appearances.
“He needs to play,” Washington said. “He’s young. He just need to go get at-bats. He need to learn how to make the adjustments he has to make. But I was very impressed with the way he handled himself when things wasn’t going the way he wanted it to go. He came to the ballpark, he showed tremendous work ethic.”
Paris will play exclusively in center field at Triple-A, Washington said. Paris is a natural infielder who has only converted to the outfield in the last couple of years.
The Angels had a vacant spot on the 40-man roster for Taylor because they designated Shaun Anderson for assignment over the weekend.
STEPHENSON ‘RETURNS’
Right-hander Robert Stephenson was in the Angels’ clubhouse on Monday, answering cryptically when asked when he was going to be activated.
Stephenson, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, would not even say if he’s heading back to Triple-A Salt Lake.
“That’s something you’re probably going to have to ask the front office,” Stephenson said.
Stephenson pitched on Friday and Sunday with Salt Lake, so if the Angels did plan to activate him, it would make sense that they would not want to do it on Monday.
Stephenson gave up two runs in five innings with Salt Lake and Class-A Inland Empire. He struck out five and did not walk a batter.
“I can’t give you a date on anything, but I feel like I’m really close,” Stephenson said. “My body’s been feeling really good. I’ve been responding well throwing, so I’m excited.”
Stephenson, 32, signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Angels prior to the 2024 season, but he got hurt before appearing in a game and then had surgery.
Washington would not commit to when Stephenson would return or how they’d use him.
“It’ll bring a tremendous boost to the bullpen, especially the way that he’s been throwing the baseball,” Washington said. “But right now, we’re still taking it day by day.”
TROUT UPDATE
Mike Trout took batting practice on the field and did sprints in the outfield. The three-time American League MVP still hasn’t run the bases, but that’s expected to happen either Tuesday or Wednesday.
Washington said the Angels are also trying to arrange for a minor league pitcher to throw to him sometime in the next two days.
Trout, 33, has been out since May 1 with a bruised left knee.
UP NEXT
Yankees (LHP Carlos Rodon, 6-3, 2.88 ERA) at Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 2-1, 3.60 ERA), Tuesday, 6:38 p.m., FDSN West, 830 AM
