The new/old Juan Uribe continues to hurt baseballs for the Dodgers

And the Dodgers’ leading hitter after their first 16 games is 35-year-old Juan Uribe. Of course, just the way everyone had it figured.

After two horrible seasons and one sports hernia surgery, Uribe was looking like an incredible bust. He had lost his job to a journeyman infielder, and really, was no longer in the Dodgers’ plans.

Then given another opportunity, he turned things around nicely last season and was rewarded with another two-year, $15-million deal. Unthinkable a year earlier, and certainly not without risk now at his age.

Only now look at him. He’s not only picked up where he left off last season (.278, 12 homers, 50 RBI, 22 doubles in 388 at-bats), he’s building upon it.

Uribe is hitting .375 (25 for 64) with eight doubles, and it seems like most of his outs were line drives. He’s fairly consistently tagging the ball hard, all while continuing to play a Gold Glove-caliber third baseman.

He has a major-league best five games with three or more hits. He’s hit successfully in seven of his last eight games (.438, 14 for 32) with four doubles and two home runs.

No one can keep up that pace, but for a guy who hit .199 his first two seasons with the Dodgers and is on a wealthy team with five players making over $15 million this season, he’s become one sweet addition.