When looking at the Los Angeles Dodgers as a franchise, many would argue they are second to only the New York Yankees as far as legendary status goes. As of this writing, they are the reigning World Series champions, their eighth title. They hold a National League record with 25 pennants.
The honors continue, with 11 players winning the MVP award while wearing Dodger Blue and another eight Cy Young award winners. This is a superstar-laden franchise that has had amazing players in every era.
With a history that dates back to the 19th century, the Dodgers have been one of the most popular entities in sports, with the interlocking LA appearing in music videos, in movies, and on countless celebrities in the form of hats and other memorabilia. Being in the heart of Los Angeles allows them to be constantly in the lexicon.
To stay relevant, they had to keep winning. To keep winning, they had to get star players. That’s why they’ve traded for and signed the likes of Manny Ramirez, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Gary Sheffield. With more than 50 Hall of Famers, and the likes of Betts, Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw and others on the way, who is going to make the all-time lineup?
First Base
Gil Hodges
1947-1961
Gil Hodges was known as a member of the Boys of Summer, a group of players who will show up on this list a lot. It was their version of the Murderer’s Row. Hodgers was dominant at both offense and defense. In fact, he won the first three Gold Gloves in history at first base. He was constantly saving runs and keeping himself in check with his throws.
At the plate, Hodges' performance always had him in the MVP conversation despite never winning the award. He had more than 40 home runs in two seasons and broke 30 home runs six times. He finished with more than 100 RBIs seven times, and he had a career-high 335 total bases in 1954.
Hodges finished his career with two World Series titles, taking home a ring for his performance in 1955 and 1959. In the 1959 edition at 35 years old, Hodgers hit .391 in the series and added a 1.025 OPS. His Game 4 home run really turned the series around and would go on to be the game-winner.
At some point, this may be Freddie Freeman, but he has a lot of work to do.
Second Base
Jackie Robinson
1947-1956
Jackie Robinson is definitely the most important baseball player in history, and he might be the most important athlete in organized sports. The man who is credited with breaking the color barrier in baseball was also one of the best players in the sport. One might be surprised to learn that Robinson actually only played 10 seasons for the Dodgers, but he retired to become an executive at the Chock full o’ Nuts company. Yeah, the one with the coffee.
Robinson played all over the infield and outfield, but his best seasons came as a second baseman. Four of his six All-Star appearances came at second base. He was a part of this great team called the “Boys of Summer,” dominating the National League for close to a decade. Robinson played in 10 seasons, and he made the World Series in six of them.
Of course, Robinson will always be most known for breaking the color barrier, but he should be remembered for his value as a player. His talent was clear from Day 1. He was 28 years old when he finally got a chance to play in the Majors, winning the Rookie of the Year in 1947. He would win MVP in 1949, and he led the league in WAR three times.
Robinson’s number 42 is retired league-wide, the only number that’s done for all teams. It’s a rightful honor for the impact Robinson had on baseball.
Short Stop
Pee Wee Reese
1940-1958
Pee Wee Reese doesn’t have eye-popping statistics, but he was incredible as a shortstop for a long time. He made 10 All-Star Games for the Dodgers, and he won two World Series (one as a coach, one as a player). However, his most impactful move was his support for Jackie Robinson and other players breaking the color barrier. He was supportive of his teammates, even showing support during active heckling.
Reese would play his entire career with the Dodgers, finishing with 126 home runs, 885 runs batted in and an on-base percentage of .366. Reese would play a majority of the Dodgers games, outside his service with the Navy from 1943 to 1945. His best moments came in the World Series, where he scored 20 runs and drove in 16 more in 44 championship games.
The Dodgers were facing a seemingly insurmountable Yankees team during this era. Proof of this is Reese’s career in the World Series, where he helped the Dodgers win seven pennants, but he came away with just one World Series ring.
Reese was finally honored with a Hall of Fame induction in 1984, 26 years after his final MLB game. We talked about his numbers, but his impact at his position is undeniable.
Third Base
Ron Cey
1971-1982
Adrian Beltre had the amazing peak, and Justin Turner had the longevity at third base, and both would be a great choice for this list, but Ron Cey pairs those two facts together. He was huge for the Dodgers in the 1981 World Series, sharing the MVP award with Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager. A famous moment came when Goose Gossage hit Cey in the head with a fastball, and he returned the next game to help the Dodgers clinch the World Series victory.
Cey would become known as a guy who can get incredibly hot and carry the team. The Dodgers themselves knew these streaks were coming. He wasn’t the most personable guy according to his teammates, but they loved what he was doing on the field.
He finished his Dodgers career with 228 home runs and 842 RBIs. He made the All-Star team every year from 1974 to 1979. While he didn’t have the eye-popping numbers many would have wanted, he did play well for his entire career, played more than 150 games in almost every season with the Dodgers, and he could dominate at a moment’s notice.
On this team, he would probably hit eighth or ninth, but having that wild card at the end of the lineup is important. He could end up having the most important hit in any game, just like he did in the 1981 World Series.
Catcher
Roy Campanella
1948-1957
There were a few really good catchers in the history of the Dodgers, including early career Mike Piazza and Mike Scioscia, but nobody compares to the Dodgers' career of Roy Campanella. You may not recognize the name Campanella, but he’s in a league with the likes of Mickey Mantle, Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, and Shohei Ohtani. They are all some of the 12 members of the 3 MVPs Club.
Campanella is the least known name in that club, but he was an all-timer with the Dodgers. And he was legendary, becoming the first African American to play catcher in the majors. The Hall of Famer started his career in the Negro Leagues, and he joined the majors one year after Jackie Robinson. They both proved that talent deserved to be on the biggest stage.
Campanella would become one of the first African Americans to be an All-Star, joining Robinson, Larry Doby, and Don Newcombe on the 1949 team. He would then make seven All-Star Games in a row as a catcher. In each of his MVP seasons, he batted over .300, hit more than 30 home runs, and recorded more than 100 runs batted in.
Tragedy would strike to end Campanella’s career early, as a car accident would leave him paralyzed. Who knows the heights he would have reached if it weren’t for the crash, but he left an impactful mark on the game and on the Dodgers’ franchise.
Right Field
Duke Snider
1947-1962
Duke Snider was once considered a top player with the likes of Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle. He failed to win an MVP during his illustrious career, but most consider his 1955 loss a snub. That season, he had a league-leading 126 runs and a league-leader 136 RBIs. It was his third top-five finish in MVP voting, the closest he would get to the award.
Snider was probably happy with the titles he did win, putting up legendary performances in the World Series. He led the Dodgers to two titles, one in 1955 and one in 1959. He’s the only player in history to hit four home runs in two different World Series. His 11 World Series home runs is fourth all time still to this day, behind only Mantle, Yogi Berra (who had almost twice as many at bats), and Babe Ruth.
At the end of his career, Snider hit at least .300 seven times, scored more than 100 runs six times, hitting at least 40 home runs five consecutive years, driving in more than 100 runs six times and leading the league in total bases three times. He leads all Dodgers in all-time home runs (389), RBIs (1,271), extra base hits (814), and Offensive WAR (68.2).
Center Field
Matt Kemp
2006-2014, 2018
Matt Kemp could have been up there with any outfielder in baseball. He looked like he was built out of the best attributes one could want in a center fielder. He had the fielding down, he could hit the ball a mile, and he had speed on the bases.
We will talk about this “club” in a moment, but Kemp fell one home run short of joining the 40/40 Club. He won the Silver Slugger and added a Gold Glove in 2011. He led the NL in both home runs and RBIs that season. Kemp was considered the best in the league at that point, even if he did lose the MVP to Ryan Braun, who would later admit to taking PEDs.
Kemp returned to the Dodgers in 2018 after an unsuccessful run with the Padres and Braves, and he turned back the clock as best he could. Hip injuries took a lot of his speed that made him great, but he put out 21 home runs with 85 RBIs and a .290 average. It was a perfect send off to his Dodgers career, giving Los Angeles his last good run.
Many of the old school fans will want someone like Pete Reiser or Willie Davis to top this list, but the stretch Kemp put together before injuries ruined him was impossible to ignore.
Left Field
Mookie Betts
2020-2025
Mookie Betts came to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and it was expected to be a moment to transition the big spenders from decent contenders to constants threats. That’s exactly what happened, as the Dodgers ended their World Series drought in Betts first year with the franchise.
He was electric in the postseason, dominating at the plate and in the field. He made a few series saving plays against the Braves in the 2020 NLCS, and he hit a home run in the World Series clinching Game 5.
Betts would continue to be a superstar both on offense and defense. He could be put at multiple different positions, including all three outfielder positions, second base, and even shortstop. His versatility gave the Dodgers the ability to go after anyone in the offseason, as Betts could continue to move positions.
As of today, Betts remains one of the league’s best, leading both leagues in WAR in 2023. He helped the Dodgers win the 2024 World Series, his second wearing blue and third overall in his career. He finished that postseason with 16 RBIs and four home runs.
Designated Hitter
Shohei Ohtani
2024-2025
As of this writing, Shohei Ohtani has played one and a half seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it might be the most impactful season and a half in the history of the league. Ohtani signed an insane contract with the Dodgers and immediately dominated.
He is the first player ever to hit 50 home runs and record 50 stolen bases in the same season. Many thought that was just an unattainable statistic, but Ohtani did it in the season he was not allowed to pitch because he was recovering from Tommy John Surgery.
In the postseason, Ohtani was playing with a different injury and his impact was slightly muted in the World Series against the Yankees, but he still finished the playoffs with three home runs and 10 RBIs en route to his first championship.
Ohtani is having himself another insane season, and he should be back in the MVP conversation in 2025. As of this writing, Ohtani leads the NL in runs, home runs, slugging percentage, OPS, and total bases. He should be one of the best players in the world for his entire Dodgers contract.
Starting Pitcher
Sandy Koufax
1955-1966
It took a very special player to usurp Clayton Kershaw on this list. It took a very special pitcher to make us skip Don Drysdale and Dazzy Vance. There are only a few pitchers in baseball history who can take consideration away from Orel Hershiser, Zack Greinke, and the mania that came with Fernando Valenzuela. Sandy Koufax is as special a pitcher as the game has ever seen.
Koufax took some time to hit his stride, failing to become one of the game’s best until he was seven years into his career. Something clicked after he tried to quit baseball in 1960. He went from an average and replaceable pitcher to the best pitcher in baseball.
In 1961, Koufax made his first All-Star team and led MLB with 269 strikeouts. In 1962, he led the league in ERA and WHIP. One year later, Koufax won his first Cy Young after leading the league with a 10.7 WAR. He also won league MVP that season.
Over his final five seasons with the Dodgers, Koufax led the league in ERA every year, won three Cy Youngs, had 25+ wins three times, leading the NL each time, led the league in shutouts three times, and led in strikeouts three times. The Dodgers won three World Series with Koufax on the roster, and he won World Series MVP twice. Injuries forced him to retire at 30, still pitching like the best player in baseball.
Relief Pitcher
Eric Gagne
1999-2006
How many relievers have won the Cy Young award in the history of baseball? Nine, and eight of them won the award between 1974 and 1992. Only two closers have won the award as a traditional one-inning stopper: Dennis Eckersley and Eric Gagne.
While this is a controversial choice, we have not seen dominance in the ninth inning like the best of the best run of Eric Gagne, at least in the regular season. No, not even from Mariano Rivera. Between August 2002, and July 2004, he converted 84 consecutive save chances, a major league record.
Gagne had two-straight seasons with 50+ saves. Only him, Jim Johnson, and Rivera have two seasons with 50+ saves ever. There are only 18 seasons in the history of baseball where a player had 50 saves. So, these are the best of the best.
There are few players who have ever been as dominant over three years as Gagne was from 2002 to 2004. Unfortunately, in 2005, Gagne suffered a number of injuries and only had eight saves. His season eventually ended with Tommy John Surgery. He was never the same and was off the team by the 2006 offseason, and he was out of baseball two years later. It was the highest of highs and it was over in a blink.