The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of baseball's most historic franchises, with many of the greatest Dodgers players of all time finding themselves among the best in MLB history as well.
They have technically been around since 1883, when they were introduced as the Brooklyn Grays. They later adopted the Dodgers nickname, but played in Brooklyn through the 1957 campaign. The team moved to LA in 1958 and have played in Southern California ever since. The franchise has no shortage of talent throughout their tenure as an organization, winning seven World Series titles and 21 National League pennants.
Today, we are taking a look at the 10 greatest Dodgers of all time.
10. Fernando Valenzuela
Position: Starting Pitcher
Years with Dodgers: 1980-1990
Notable accolades: 6-time NL All-Star, 1981 Cy Young, 1981 NL Rookie of the Year, 1981 NL strikeout leader, 1981 World Series champion
“Fernandomania” swept the nation during the 1980's as a young left-hander by the name of Fernando Valenzuela pitched for the Dodgers. Valenzuela utilized the elusive screwball in his pitching arsenal which left hitters muttering to themselves after striking out against him.
1981 was the season of Fernando Valenzuela. He led the Dodgers to the World Series after posting a sparkling 2.48 ERA over a league leading 192.1 innings pitched. His 180 strikeouts led the NL as well. Valenzuela went on to have a tremendous decade on the mound for LA. He finished top-3 in Cy Young voting two more times before fizzling out in 1990.
Fernando Valenzuela's short peak removed him from the MLB Hall of Fame conversation. But he was arguably the best pitcher in baseball for a 6-year span and a true Dodger legend.
9. Orel Hershiser
Position: Starting Pitcher
Years with Dodgers: 1983-1994, 2000
Notable accolades: 3-time All-Star, 1988 World Series champion, 1988 NL Cy Young, 1988 World Series MVP
Most people remember Kirk Gibson's legendary 1988 World Series walk-off home run. But it was Orel Hershiser who led the Dodgers to their World Series victory that season.
He tallied a league leading 15 completes game while leading the NL in innings pitched with a mark of 267 innings. Hershiser even earned some MVP votes in 1988.
He made three All-Star teams during his peak, which lasted from 1987-1989. However, he was consistenly sharp from 1984-1994. The Dodgers viewed him as a reliable option who could eat innings while always giving them a chance to win ball games.
8. Pee Wee Reese
Position: Shortstop, Third Base
Years with Dodgers: 1940-1958
Notable accolades: 10-time All-Star, 2-time World Series champion, 1952 NL stolen base leader
Pee Wee Reese was the prototypical speedy infielder with a good glove and impressive contact skills at the plate. Reese finished with over 2,100 hits in his career and consistently stole 15 or more bases. In 1952, he led the league with 30 stolen bases. Although he never won an MVP, he earned MVP votes in 13 of his 16 years. Reese never had one standout campaign, but was a consistent presence in LA.
7. Don Sutton
Position: Starting Pitcher
Years with Dodgers: 1966-1980, 1988
Notable accolades: 4-time All-Star, 1980 MLB ERA leader
Don Sutton is another pitcher that displayed consistency over a long period of time. His best seasons came from 1972-1977, when he made his four All-Star appearances. He finished as high as third in NL Cy Young voting during that time period. However, it was in 1980 when Sutton led MLB in ERA with a 2.20 mark.
Sutton would leave the Dodgers in 1981, but later returned during the Dodgers' magical 1988 World Series campaign.
6. Roy Campanella
Position: Catcher
Years with Dodgers: 1948-1957
Notable accolades: 8-time All-Star, 1955 World Series champion, 3-time NL MVP, NL RBI leader
Roy Campanella made his Dodgers debut in 1948 and did not disappoint. However, in 1949 he emerged as a star and would go on to make eight consecutive All-Star teams while winning three NL MVPs.
He featured as much talent as anybody in the game. His offensive ability from the catcher position is what stood out about Campanella.
He is a truly one of the greatest Dodgers to ever take the field.
5. Duke Snider
Position: Center Field
Years with Dodgers: 1947-1962
Notable accolades: 8-time All-Star, 2-time World Series champion, 1956 NL home run leader, MLB Hall of Fame
Duke Snider is remembered as one of the best centerfielders in baseball history. He was a productive defender, but his true value stemmed from his offensive prowess.
Snider's ability to get on base while hitting for power made him a viable threat at the plate. He led the league in OBP one time and slugging on two separate occasions. Snider also led the league in home runs in 1956 with a mark of 43.
He finished his MLB career with over 400 home runs and a .919 OPS.
4. Don Drysdale
Position: Starting Pitcher
Years with Dodgers: 1956-1969
Notable accolades: 9-time All-Star, 3-time World Series champion, 1962 NL Cy Young, 3-time NL strikeout leader, MLB Hall of Fame
Don Drysdale was one of MLB's best pitchers during the 1960s. He won his first and only Cy Young award in 1962, but could have easily won the award in a number of different seasons. He ultimately spent his entire 14-year career with the Dodgers, finishing with a 2.95 ERA.
Drysdale was a workhorse, leading the league in innings pitched twice and games started four times.
3. Clayton Kershaw
Position: Starting Pitcher
Years with Dodgers: 2008-present
Notable accolades: 9-time All-Star, 2014 NL MVP, 3-time NL Cy Young winner, 2020 World Series champion
Clayton Kershaw may end up being No. 1 on this list of best Dodgers before it is all said and done. For now, the ace checks in at No. 3.
The future Hall of Famer is a 3-time Cy Young winner and 1-time MVP winner who's spent his entire career with the Dodgers. Kershaw is still pitching well into his 15th MLB season. He is looking to pad his resume with another World Series victory in 2022. Whether he adds or another championship to the mantle or not, there is no denying the fact that Kershaw is already a legend.
2. Jackie Robinson
Position: Second Base, First Base, Third Base
Years with Dodgers: 1947-1956
Notable accolades: 6-time All-Star, 1947 Rookie of the year, 1949 NL MVP, 1955 World Series champion, MLB Hall of Fame
People tend to forget how talented Jackie Robinson was at the game of baseball. He is known for breaking the sports color barrier, but Robinson also enjoyed an outstanding big league career.
The 1949 NL MVP took the league by storm. He consistently hit over .300 while stealing no shortage of bases. He finished his 11-year Dodgers career hitting .313 with 200 total stolen bases.
Robinson slashed .342/432/.528 with a .960 OPS during his 1949 MVP campaign. He added a league leading 37 stolen bases for good measure.
Jackie Robinson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962, and is rightfully considered the greatest Dodgers player during the franchise's tenure in Brooklyn.
1. Sandy Koufax
Position: Starting Pitcher
Years with Dodgers: 1955-1966
Notable accolades: 7-time All-Star, 4-time World Series champion, 3-time NL Cy Young award winner, 2-time World Series MVP, MLB Hall of Fame
Sandy Koufax is one of the best pitchers to ever toe an MLB rubber. The left-hander led the league in ERA three times and won three NL Cy Young awards. Additionally, Koufax was a winner, leading LA to four World Series championships during his Dodgers' tenure.
Sandy Koufax is the greatest Dodgers player of all-time.
Honorable mentions
Steve Garvey, Gil Hodges, and Dazzy Vance highlight the honorable mentions on our greatest Dodgers list.
Garvey was a corner infielder who spent 14 years in LA with the Dodgers. Debuting in 1969, he'd go on to win an MVP with the ball club while leading the league in hits on two separate occasions. Garvey also won four Gold Gloves during his time in Los Angeles.
Gil Hodges began his career while the Dodgers were still in Brooklyn, and remained a member of the team during the move to LA. He made eight All-Star teams and never struck out more than 99 times in a single season. Hodges also won a pair of Gold Gloves.
Dazzy Vance is a name one may not even recognize. However, he spent 11 seasons with the Brooklyn Robins during the 1920's-1930's. He was a 7-time strikeout leader and 3-time ERA leader in the National League.
Follow Us
Subscribe