While Mookie Betts spent a second stint on the 10-day injured list because of right hip inflammation, the Los Angeles Dodgers regularly relied on Cody Bellinger, Chris Taylor and Billy McKinney to fill the gap.
Initially, Bellinger was penciled in at right field, while Taylor played center field. However, they have been swapped of late and likely figure to remain that way despite Taylor previously only having started in right field once this season.
“I talked to C.T., and he’s open to playing right field, which is no surprise to anyone,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“I want the length and range in center field. I’ve done it the other way, but I want C.T. to continue to get reps out there because I just love the foot speed in center field with Cody.”
This season, the stats don’t back up that Bellinger is a better runner as his 28 feet per second sprint speed is behind Taylor’s 28.8 feet per second speed. Of course, some of that could be due to Bellinger’s leg fracture injury earlier in the season.
Last year, Bellinger’s 28.6 feet/second was 0.2 faster than Taylor’s, and he was 0.1 feet/second faster in 2019.
What makes Bellinger a better option for center field?
What makes Bellinger really stand out in center field is the reads and jumps he is able to make.
Baseball Savant defines an outfielder’s jump as how many feet the player can cover in the correct direction within the first three seconds of a ball being hit to them. That is composed of their reaction (0 to 1.5 seconds) and burst (1.6 to 3 seconds).
Bellinger is able to move 1.2 feet more than an average outfielder in the first three seconds of a ball being hit, while Taylor covers 1.5 feet less than an average outfielder. That is a swing of 2.7 feet on average, which might not seem like much, but that can often be the difference between making a catch or not.
Bellinger’s jump ranks in the 69th percentile of all MLB outfielders and has allowed him to lead the Dodgers with three outs above average while he has made 89% of plays despite having an estimated success rate of 87%.
Taylor on the other hand has made 91% of plays despite having an estimated success rate of 93%, to go along with a -3 outs above average. However, Taylor has more than made up for that value with his versatility and offensive production.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and more!
