Postgame Chris Taylor 2 Home Run game & leading off with Mookie Betts on IL 7/25/21

Chris Taylor, you had two home runs tonight, a single. What has been working so well for you at the plate here, and especially today? Yeah, I'm just in a good place mechanically. Feel pretty good and not really trying to do too much. Just keep it simple and swing at strikes, try to get the ball in the air, which I did today. You've been stepping in in the leadoff spot with Mookie Betts out now on the injured list. How comfortable have you been stepping in that position? Yeah, I hit leadoff a lot in college and high school and coming up in the minor leagues. So yeah, I really try not to take it, my approach, any differently, whether I'm hitting first or last or wherever. I'm still thinking the same thing in there. And this was the second time this week we saw Will Smith come in and have a huge run. I mean, just in the clutch, how valuable is he to this team? Yeah, he's been unbelievable. You can see him come through in those late-inning situations time and time again. That's the second time he got Estevez, he got him in Colorado for a go-ahead as well. So just a big-time player, and he's been huge for us. And Kenley Jansen last night, he talked about all of the young guys on this team, how they really stepped up to help you guys with all of the injuries, all of the adversity you all have dealt with. What can you say about what you've seen in some of these younger guys? Yeah, that's kind of been our M.O. since I've been here. It seems like a next-man-up mentality, and we've had a lot of injuries this year and guys have done a good job filling in and coming up in some big spots. Thanks, Chris. We'll see you in San Francisco. All right, thanks.