Chris Taylor will begin rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday

Chris Taylor has been out nearly a month with a fracture in his left foot, but he’s at least getting closer to a return. Taylor will begin a minor league rehab assignment on Tuesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, which begins a six-game series in Salt Lake, the Angels’ affiliate.

Taylor last played for the Dodgers on July 4, and was placed on the injured list two days later with a fracture in his left foot.

Considering the time missed, Taylor is expected to need several games to get back up to speed before rejoining the Dodgers. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters Sunday, “I really can’t see it being less than seven games,” per the Associated Press.

Taylor this season is hitting .238/.319/.409, a 106 wRC+ with 19 doubles and six home runs. He’s played exclusively in the outfield this season, coming off offseason elbow surgery. Roberts said last week that Taylor could add second base into the mix once he returns, but on Sunday said his rehab with Oklahoma City would be limited to outfield duty.

Far Outman

Before James Outman’s incredible major league debut on Sunday, the Dodgers outfielder discussed the changes he’s made from seventh-round pick in 2018 to major leaguer.

“I came into pro ball kind of swinging like a caveman,” Outman said Saturday, per Manny Randhawa at MLB.com. “Just, like, really stiff and not much there. … It’s been a total rebuild.”

As for the home run, Outman told reporters, per Jack Magruder of the Associated Press, “Obviously I’ve dreamed of it, playing Wiffle ball in the back yard and stuff like that. ... I never really thought it was going to be something that was going to happen. It’s awesome.

The Dodgers shared a clip of Outman’s home run in his first major league at-bat, synced with the recording his fiancée made from the stands in Coors Field:

Come out to the coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs

Dodgers’ fifth-round draft pick Sean McLain out of Arizona State was listed as a shortstop, but told Tim Burt of OC Sports Zone he’ll play anywhere. “I’m a utility player but whatever is going to get me to the big leagues fastest, that’s the goal,” McLain said. If it’s at second, if it’s at shortstop or third or center, I hope to play where I can get to the big leagues the fastest. Wherever they want me, I’ll put the work in and do that.”

McLain played his locally at Beckman High School in Irvine, and signed with the Dodgers for $322,900 last week, per Jim Callis at MLB Pipeline. McLain’s brother Matt, a shortstop out of UCLA was drafted in the first round in 2021 by the Reds.

Links

Gavin Lux and Dustin May talked to Bill Plunkett at the Orange County Register about their experiences going through trade deadline rumors. Remembering back to 2018, May said, “The [Manny] Machado stuff I definitely thought I was leaving. I don’t want to put that kind of thought into my mind anymore.”

Justin Turner didn’t play during the four-game series at Coors Field, still dealing with the abdominal tightness that sidelined him for five games last week. That’s nine games out of the last 10 missed for Turner, who isn’t likely to play until Thursday, per Roberts.

Did I mention the trade deadline was Tuesday?

A titan of American professional sports, Bill Russell, the longtime Celtics center, died on Sunday at age 88. Please enjoy this wonderful story from Padres broadcaster Jesse Agler. The first tweet of the thread is below: