The Dodgers birthday boys are thriving

Chris Taylor had a big day in the Dodgers’ blowout win of the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night. He had three hits, including two doubles, and walked. Taylor also stole a base, scored a run, and drove in another. That’s three hits for the Dodger wearing number three on his 33rd birthday, in the team’s third win in a row.

In addition to the birthday festivities, Tuesday was also Chris Taylor’s bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium. His father threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and several family members were in attendance.

“Any time you have a good game, it feels good, but especially when I have family and friends out here supporting me. It always feels a little better to have a good game for them,” Taylor told Kirsten Watson on SportsNet LA after the game. “They gotta come back a little more often, I think.”

Taylor struggled on his birthday in most previous years with the Dodgers. He homered in 2017, but had just one hit in 14 at-bats since, before Tuesday night.

It’s been a great overall month of August for the Dodgers, but it’s been especially good for those with birthdays this month.

Kiké Hernández last Thursday in Cleveland hit two doubles and a home run on his 32nd birthday, scored two runs, and drove in two. He also walked twice earlier in the day in the resumption of the previous night’s suspended game.

One day later in Boston, Max Muncy had two hits and drove in three runs, including a two-run double that broke the game open on his 33rd birthday.

Back on August 9, Jason Heyward singled twice on his 34th birthday in a win over the D-backs in Phoenix.

Even factoring in James Outman’s three strikeouts in three at-bats on his 26th birthday on May 14, it’s been a banner year for Dodgers on their birthdays. The quintet of hitters who played on their birthdays in 2023 are a combined 10 for 21 with five doubles, a home run, three walks, a stolen base, three runs scored and six RBI, hitting .476/.542/.857.

The only Dodger to pitch on his birthday this year was Tony Gonsolin, who struck out six in five scoreless innings to beat the Padres on his 29th birthday on May 14.

The Dodgers are 5-0 in games when a birthday boy plays.

There aren’t many Dodgers birthdays left this season, but the remaining names are notable. Evan Phillips turns 29 on September 11, Freddie Freeman turns 34 one day later, and Mookie Betts will celebrate his 31st birthday on October 7, which is Game 1 of the National League Division Series.