The Dodgers began their journey in 1883, in Brooklyn, New York. Although the club did win the National League pennant once while in Brooklyn, their success really started to take place after relocating to Los Angeles in 1958. The Dodgers won their first championship in LA in 1959.
1962 season: The 1962 season was one of the most successful seasons in the team’s history. The Dodgers finished the season with a 101-61 record, the best in the league. Led by Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, the Dodgers pitching staff recorded a remarkable 20 shutouts throughout the season.
1974 season: The Dodgers set a National League record with an incredible 43 shutout victories throughout the season. This success was driven by the pitching prowess of Don Sutton, Claude Osteen, Andy Messersmith, and Mike Marshall. The team finished the season with a 102-60 record.
1988 season: Arguably the most iconic season in Dodgers history, the 1988 season saw the Dodgers win their sixth World Series after beating the Oakland Athletics. The World Series included the legendary Kirk Gibson home run, which helped the Dodgers win Game 1, despite Gibson’s severe injuries.
2013 season: The Dodgers won the National League West Division for the first time since the 2009 season with a record of 92-70. This success was led by the contributions of Clayton Kershaw, who was awarded his second Cy Young Award that year.
2020 season: Bringing their total number of World Series wins to 7, the Dodgers dominated the 2020 season, finishing with a record of 43-17. However, the season was not without its challenges, with COVID-19 slowing down the start of the season and forcing organizers to change the format of the playoffs.
Each of the seasons mentioned had its unique moments, defining the Los Angeles Dodgers as one of the dominant franchises in Major League Baseball. Through their years of history, the Dodgers have produced many great players; Koufax, Jackie Robinson, and Fernando Valenzuela are just a few examples.
In conclusion, the Dodgers have a long and successful history, so choosing the most memorable seasons was no easy feat. From shutout records to World Series titles, each season mentioned in this article provides unique moments in Dodgers history. With new seasons come new opportunities, and it will be interesting to see which upcoming seasons will join the list of great Dodgers seasons in the future. Here’s to many more years of success for the Los Angeles Dodgers!