MIAMI -- For months, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts showed no hesitation in endorsing utility man Chris Taylor to make his first All-Star Game. Roberts would cite Taylor’s versatility and the fact that he has become one of the most invaluable players in a roster full of stars.

“No one in baseball can do what he does,” Roberts said. “The versatility and ability to hit left and right and also play above-average defense all over the diamond -- I think that in itself makes him an All-Star player.”

Last week, Roberts’ campaigning and Taylor’s really solid first half paid off. Taylor, who is second on the team with a .277 average and has hit 10 homers, will be one of five players representing the Dodgers in Denver, joining Mookie Betts, Walker Buehler, Max Muncy and Justin Turner.

“It’s a dream come true,” Taylor said. “Ever since you were a little kid playing in the backyard, you dream of being a big league All-Star, and you watch that All-Star Game every year and hope to be there someday.”

Taylor’s dream -- one that he said he always saw coming -- will be fulfilled when he steps on the diamond at Coors Field on Tuesday. But at one point in his career, despite his own belief, it looked like the dream of playing in a Midsummer Classic might never happen.

Under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers have a history of trading for players and tapping into something that allows them to become their best versions of themselves. Taylor might be one of the best examples of that.

When the Dodgers acquired Taylor from the Mariners in exchange for right-hander Zach Lee, the move hardly made headlines. Taylor had played in just 86 games over three seasons, was hitting for no power and was striking out at a high clip.

Part of Taylor’s rise to being an NL All-Star is due to his increase in power. Taylor doesn’t have the biggest frame, so he always thought it wasn’t his role to hit 20 or more homers in a season. His job -- at least he thought -- was to get on base and let the middle of the order slug.

But as he worked with the Dodgers’ hitting coaches and watched smaller guys like Jose Altuve and Betts hit homers at a high clip, Taylor knew there was something he could tap into. He worked tirelessly to find a way to improve his swing, experimenting with launch angles.

The swing changes have allowed Taylor to hit the ball with more authority. His Barrel percentage in his last season in Seattle was just 4.3. For comparison, his Barrel percentage in ‘21 is 10.0, the second-highest clip in his career. His 88.6 mph mph average exit velocity is the third best of his career.

This season, Taylor has continued to evolve as a hitter. His 12.7 walk percentage is the highest of his career and Taylor is chasing balls out of the zone less than he ever has as a big league player. In his five full seasons with the Dodgers, Taylor has hit 68 homers with a .815 OPS.

That ability at the plate, paired with the fact that he’s played six positions, is why Roberts was banging on the table to have Taylor on the All-Star team. Taylor ended up being a Commissioner's pick, and said he’s looking forward to enjoying the All-Star experience with his family. 

It was a dream that once seemed improbable. Now it’s a reality. 

“When you try to bucket him as a center fielder, second baseman, shortstop or left fielder, you’re actually doing him a disservice,” Roberts said. “The All-Stars are to showcase the best players in each league for that particular year, and he is one of the best players in the National League, hands down.”