It seems like only yesterday that Dodgers newcomer and future Hall of Famer Mookie Betts made his spectacular throw from the right-field corner of Chase Field – on the fly – to nail Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Ketel Marte at third base; so spectacular, in fact, that it earned Betts MLB’s “Play of the Week” honors. It was, however, actually five days ago, on July 31.

There’s another Mookie in town and his name is Chris Taylor, or CT3, as he is affectionally known.

With one out in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Dodgers clinging to a precarious 7-6 lead, a struggling Kenley Jansen had runners at the corners when he served up a 91 mph cutter that Padres third baseman and former Dodger Manny Machado laced into left field in front of a hard-charging Taylor. On a dead run, Taylor caught the liner and fired a one-hop dart to Dodgers catcher Will Smith, who nailed a tagging Padres center fielder Trent Grisham at the plate for a game-ending and game-winning 7-2 double play.

“Manny hit it pretty low, so I got a pretty good jump. I don’t think he really got into it,” Taylor said of his game-winning catch and throw. “Luckily, my momentum was already taking me in, and I just tried to get rid of it as quick as I could and make it easy on Will on one hop.

“I don’t think I’ve ever ended a game on the defensive side like that,” added Taylor. “It was pretty exhilarating, especially coming through for Kenley.”

In addition to saving Jansen’s save, Taylor’s play also earned Dodgers right-hander Ross Stripling his team – and MLB – leading third win of the young (and short) season.

“I was in the locker room, man. I went nuts,” Stripling told reporters after the game. “C.T. is such a gamer, catching that ball and the throw home. That was really cool.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also had high praise for his 29-year-old Virginia Beach, VA native utility infielder/outfielder.

“Chris has done so much to help us win baseball games,” said Roberts. “He’s a manager’s dream, always ready when called upon and seems to impact the game every time he’s in there.”

Although it remains to be seen whether or not CT3 will become the second Dodger to win MLB’s Play of the Week award in as many weeks, there is zero doubt that his game-winning catch and throw was the Play of the Week in the Dodgers clubhouse; of that, you can be sure.

Play Ball!

  *  *  *  *  *  *