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Matt Beaty had a reduced role for the Dodgers in 2020, but still managed a noteworthy accomplishment in the postseason.
Beaty as a rookie in 2019 started 56 games, just over a third of the Dodgers’ schedule. But this year he started 14 games, just under a quarter of the condensed slate, totaling 54 plate appearances on the season.
He did make the Opening Day roster for the first time in his career, an honor that was muted because there were no fans nor family in the stands to celebrate the moment with him.
Dodgers with a 1.000 postseason OBP
| Player | Pos | Year | PA | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Pos | Year | PA | Results |
| Matt Beaty | 1B/OF | 2020 | 3 | 2 HBP, BB |
| Manny Mota | PH | 1978 | 3 | 2B, BB, SH |
| Johnny Oates | C | 1978 | 2 | 1B, BB |
| Roger Craig | P | 1955 | 2 | BB, SH |
| Tom Wilson | C | 2004 | 1 | HR |
| Bobby Bragan | C | 1947 | 1 | 2B |
| Rick Auerbach | IF | 1974 | 1 | 2B |
| Kirby Higbe | P | 1941 | 1 | 1B |
| Johnny Podres | P | 1953 | 1 | 1B |
| Al Ferrara | OF | 1966 | 1 | 1B |
| Alejandro Peña | P | 1983 | 1 | 1B |
| Len Matuszek | OF | 1985 | 1 | 1B |
| Brian Holton | P | 1988 | 1 | 1B |
| Rip Repulski | OF | 1959 | 1 | BB |
| Mike Marshall | P | 1974 | 1 | BB |
| Billy Ashley | OF | 1995 | 1 | BB |
| Jose Hernandez | IF | 2004 | 1 | BB |
The bulk of Beaty’s time in the majors in 2020 was spent at first base (76 defensive innings), along with six innings in left field and five starts at designated hitter.
Beaty was optioned to the alternate training site for the final 15 games of the regular season. Though he was back on the roster for all four Dodgers postseason series, Beaty only played in two of 18 games, finishing off a pair of blowouts in Games 3 and 4 of the NLCS.
In Game 3 against the Braves, Beaty entered with the Dodgers leading by 14 runs in the fifth inning. He was hit by a Huascar Ynoa in the sixth, and hit by a pitch from Jacob Webb in the eighth. Beaty is the third Dodgers player to by hit by two pitches in a postseason game, and he’s the only player in MLB history to be hit twice in the postseason game that he didn’t start.
Beaty also walked in Game 4, giving him a tidy 1.000 on-base percentage for the playoffs, tying Manny Mota in 1978 for most plate appearances by a Dodger with a perfect postseason OBP.
Combined with his 3-for-8 postseason in 2019, Beaty’s .545 career playoff OBP is the highest in Dodgers history among players with at least six plate appearances.
2020 particulars
Age: 27
Stats: .220/.278/.360, 2 HR, 54 PA
Salary: $573,500
Game of the year
On August 16 against the Angels, Beaty had his only multi-hit game of the season. He singled in the second inning that would have driven in a run except Edwin Ríos pulled his hamstring on the play and didn’t reach home before Beaty was tagged out advancing to second.
Beaty kept hitting in the game, singling against Matt Andriese in the fourth, then homering off him in the sixth, widening the Dodgers’ lead to 8-2.
Roster status
Beaty has one year, 104 days of major league service time. He was optioned for 17 days in 2020, just shy of the 20 days required to exhaust an optional assignment. So Beaty has two option years remaining heading into 2021.