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Taylor had been without an RBI in 11 games since coming off the IL on Aug. 30. Still, he has been running. He’s 4-for-5 in his 12 games since returning and 10-for-12 overall in 38 games on the season.

The Padres get Taylor back as they lose Gavin Sheets (foot) to the injured list on Sunday. He had been shelved since early July due to a right oblique strain. The 28-year-old has done a terrific job for the Padres this season, slashing .330/.410/.398 with one homer, 11 RBI and six stolen bases in 102 plate appearances over 26 games.

So much for Taylor avoiding a trip to the injured list. The Padres are going to give him some extra time off heading into next week’s All-Star break. The 27-year-old wraps up a strong first half with a .330/.410/.398 slash line with one homer, 11 RBI and six steals in 102 plate appearances over 26 games. He’s certainly looked like a viable reserve outfielder.

Taylor told reporters that he tweaked something in his oblique during Tuesday’s contest against Arizona. The 27-year-old is likely to sit out the final two games of San Diego’s current series against the Diamondbacks, but it doesn’t appear that he’s headed to the injured list.

Taylor finishes hitless in the series against the Dodgers, though he did have four walks while going 0-for-10. He’s still hitting .324/.410/.384 overall, and while it shouldn’t last, his stolen base ability makes him a decent fantasy option while he’s playing regularly.

Taylor has gone 9-for-31 (.355) with one home run, six runs scored, eight RBI, and three steals in nine games since being recalled from Triple-A, so the Padres will reward him by moving him up in the order. Those stats are great, and Taylor can certainly fly, but he also had just a 27 percent hard-hit rate in Triple-A and a league-average 85 percent zone contact rate. He’s hitting the ball on the ground 60 percent of the time and has the speed to beat out infield singles, the batting average and stolen bases could be there, but he’s a career .250/.313/.327 hitter in 118 MLB plate appearances, so don’t expect him to keep producing at this level.

Taylor also swiped his first bag in his third game since being called up Wednesday. In another timeline, Taylor is a well-established MLB bench player thanks to his speed, versatility and modest on-base skills. It hasn’t worked out in this one, but as lacking as the Padres are at the moment, maybe he’ll play enough to offer some NL-only value.

Taylor will take Nick Castellanos’ spot on the roster and is capable of playing all around the outfield and at second base. He was hitting .319/.406/.500 in 51 games at Triple-A with seven home runs and nine steals. He seems likely to serve in a super utility role with the Padres.

It didn’t take Taylor long to find a new home after being removed from Seattle’s 40-man roster earlier this week. The 27-year-old’s defensive versatility and speed make it easy to envision a super utility bench role with the Padres but he’ll have to beat out in-house alternatives like Mason McCoy and Bryce Johnson in spring training to have any shot at cracking the Opening Day roster.

Taylor was designated for assignment by the Mariners on January 15th and was not claimed on waivers. He has decided to become a free agent rather than stay in the Seattle organization. He has slashed .205/.272/.260 line in 83 plate appearances but has a .281/.373/.432 line with 160 steals in the last four years in the minor leagues.

Taylor loses his spot on Seattle’s 40-man roster after the club acquired reliever Yosver Zulueta from the Reds in a small trade. The 27-year-old offers some defensive versatility, but he hasn’t produced in limited opportunities at the major-league level over the past three seasons. He’s gotten into 38 games between the Royals and Mariners during that span, batting .205 (15-for-73) with zero homers and eight steals. He should attract some interest on waivers as a jack-of-all-trades utility specialist.