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The Los Angeles Dodgers have treated fans to unforgettable moments at the turn of the decade, winning three World Series titles and making the playoffs every season thus far in the 2020s.
Now halfway through one of the most fruitful periods of time in Dodgers history, here are the key moments that have defined the franchise’s success.
2020
Mookie Betts Arrives
While Shohei Ohtani is the best player ever to don Dodger blue, there has been no more impact for the Dodgers in the last five years than adding outfielder Mookie Betts.
Betts brought a winning culture, pushing the team and holding everyone, most of all himself, accountable. He finished.
In his first season, he finished runner-up for the National League MVP award. On top of his impact, the trade has been ranked among the more one-sided deals due to the lack of value the Dodgers gave up, as Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs, and Connor Wong have gone on to make Andrew Friedman regret it.
The Drought Ends
The Dodgers, in significant part due to the Betts addition, finally ended the 32-year World Series drought. It was such a relief after multiple years of heartbreak in October, when teams were viable contenders.
Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen, and Justin Turner, three fan-favorite veterans, finally got the championship that they deserved.
Also, the Dodgers manage to win with Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger, the young duo who came up through the minor leagues as blue-chip prospects, and helped propel the offense.
2021
Andrew Friedman swings a big trade….again
The president of baseball operations had developed a reputation as a prospect hoarder who hesitated to make big moves during the first part of his time under the Dodgers.
If the Betts trade showed Friedman isn’t afraid of being aggressive, his 2021 trade for both Washington National stars Max Scherzer and Trea Turner was a double-down.
The Dogers went 43-13 after adding the two stars, and it helped save a season that injuries had marred.
Chris Taylor’s Wild Card walk-off
The Dodgers lost in the NLCS to a powerhouse Atlanta Braves team that went on to win the whole thing, though Los Angeles had a special moment earlier in its postseason run.
With the Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals tied at 1-1, utility man Chris Taylor put his cape on and hit a game-winning two-run shot, clinching the game and allowing the boys in blue to advance.
2022
History Made
The Dodgers made the playoffs for the 10th straight year, setting a franchise record. They finished with a 111-51 record, becoming the team with the most wins since the Seattle Mariners.
Padres-Dodgers Rivalry Begins
The San Diego Padres have long served as the Dodgers’ little brother, though in 2022 the teams met in the postseason for the first time, marking a new chapter in their rivalry.
Powered through Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Joe Musgrove, the Padres ended up beating the Dodgers in five games, completing an upset and stunning the Los Angeles powerhouse.
After this series loss, the Dodgers lost several key players, including Trea Turner, Tyler Anderson, and Cody Bellinger, marking a roster shift.
2023
A Quiet Winter
After years of move after move, making blockbuster additions, the Dodgers finally did not sign a big free agent or make a trade of note; instead, despite losing talent, Los Angeles stayed put.
They still won more than 100 games, the first team to do so four straight seasons, and Freedie Freeman and Mookie Betts had excellent seasons, but the Dodgers got swept by the Diamondbacks, leading to a winter of action.
Kershaw Reaches Milestone
Clayton Kershaw reached 200 wins, an exclusive club, and passed Don Drysdale for second on the Dodgers’ all-time wins list.
2024
A Free Agency For The Ages
The Dodgers opened up the checkbook and decided to go all-in on the Freeman-Betts core, bringing in drastic help.
They signed two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million deal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on a 12-year, $325 million contract, among other key additions.
Ohtani ended up winning the National League MVP during the season, created the 50-50 club, all while not pitching due to his elbow injury.
Yamamoto had a strong season, posting a 3.00 ERA, though he missed a good deal of time due to injury, a problem that plagued the team throughout the year.
The bullpen was the team’s strongest unit.
A Big-Stakes World Series
The Dodgers finished with the best record in baseball, living up to the preseason hype after spending all that money.
However, it was the under-the-radar addition of Tommy Edman who ended up taking home the NLCS MVP.
The Dodgers ended up facing the New York Yankees in a showdown between the two biggest markets in baseball.
Los Angeles won their second title in five years, beating the Yankees in five games.
Freddie Freeman Delivers
With the Dodgers down 3-2 in the 10th inning of World Series Game 1, Freddie Freeman stepped up to the plate and hit a walk-off grand slam that followed an all-time call from announcer Joe Davis.
2025
Back-to-Back Champions
In case it wasn’t clear to some in the baseball world, the Dodgers stamped their place in history and cemented their status as a dynasty.
They captured their second straight title, though it hasn’t been easy. The Dodgers battled rotation injuries and extended slumps during the regular season.
The bullpen was a shell of its former self, though the best rotation money can buy, with the addition of Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell, proved to be enough to cruise through the National League playoffs.
The World Series turned out to be a different beast that required some magic.
Kike Hernandez Saves The Dodgers
Mr. October came through once again, making a great defensive play that sealed Game 6, an elimination game on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Unlikely Hero
Second baseman Miguel Rojas, in the top of the ninth inning with the Dodgers down 4-3, delivered a game-tying home run that helped the team stay alive.
Ace Yoshinbou Yamamoto, who went six innings in Game 6, came in during the bottom of the ninth inning and got the Dodgers out of a jam with runners in scoring position.
Eventually, Will Smith stepped up to the plate and delivered the go-ahead home run, letting Yamamoto finish the game by getting the final outs, and ending one of the most outstanding World Series ever.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
