Justin Turner is giving batting average new life
Batting average isn’t the end all anymore when it comes to evaluating the kind of season a player is having but it is can still catch the fans imagination when a player flirts with the magic .400 season.
Justin Turner is still at .387, and as the calendar turns to late June he could set a few LAD records. That batting average would currently be the best in LAD history for a first half break. Mike Piazza and Tommy Davis had to be on this list. I had forgotten about the great start Nomar had in 2006. Seeing Manny Mota with a high batting average is no surprise, seeing him with over 200 plate appearances in the first half is. 1971 was the year of the 3Dog.
The table below uses 200 plate appearances as the cut off point.
Player Split Year BA PA H 2B 3B HR RBI OPS Justin Turner 1st Half 2017 .387 210 70 14 0 5 27 1.011 Mike Piazza 1st Half 1996 .363 336 109 6 0 24 63 1.055 Nomar Garciaparra 1st Half 2006 .358 303 96 24 1 11 53 1.004 Mike Piazza 1st Half 1997 .357 342 107 19 0 16 51 1.004 Tommy Davis 1st Half 1962 .353 380 126 15 8 15 90 .949 Manny Mota 1st Half 1973 .351 234 73 7 2 0 20 .806 Willie Davis 1st Half 1971 .350 376 126 25 8 3 45 .852
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2017.
I’m sure you are now wondering how many LAD had an OPS over 1.000 in the first half. I sure was.
No surprise to see the trading partners Gary Sheffield and Mike Piazza at the top. Nor is it any shock to see the greatest offensive Dodger of all-time Cody Bellinger on the list. Piazza did the trick twice. One of my favorite all-time Dodgers Reggie Smith is right there. Wally Moon and his moon shots were flying out plenty in 1961.
Player Split Year OPS PA 2B HR RBI BA OBP SLG Gary Sheffield 1st Half 2000 1.093 368 11 27 71 .334 .440 .652 Mike Piazza 1st Half 1996 1.055 336 6 24 63 .363 .432 .623 Reggie Smith 1st Half 1977 1.021 352 18 17 53 .307 .436 .585 Wally Moon 1st Half 1961 1.020 296 11 14 46 .333 .449 .571 Justin Turner 1st Half 2017 1.011 210 14 5 27 .387 .464 .547 Cody Bellinger 1st Half 2017 1.009 227 12 22 49 .271 .344 .665 Mike Piazza 1st Half 1997 1.004 342 19 16 51 .357 .424 .580 Nomar Garciaparra 1st Half 2006 1.004 303 24 11 53 .358 .426 .578
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2017.
Alex Wood finds home cooking to his taste
Right now Alex Wood has a career ERA at Dodger Stadium of 1.78 which would place him 6th on the all-time list for pitchers who have made at least 10 starts at Dodger Stadium.
The only Dodgers on this list are Sandy Koufax and Alex Wood. Heady company indeed. Anyone who watched J. R. Richard pitch against the Dodgers would not be surprised to see him on this list. I never saw Curt Simmons pitch but I did see Jon Matlack and Dwight Gooden dominant the Dodgers when they pitched for the Mets. Interesting that Jon Matlack made the cut but his more famous teammate Tom Seaver did not. Or Jerry Koosman. Jim O’Toole was also before my time but I do remember having a geat O’Toole baseball card. I’ll have to go find it.
Player Split From To ERA GS IP WHIP SO9 SO/W OPS Sandy Koufax LOS03 1962 1966 1.37 85 715.1 0.822 9.5 5.31 .467 Curt Simmons LOS03 1962 1967 1.53 10 88.1 0.940 3.6 2.50 .538 Jon Matlack LOS03 1972 1977 1.63 10 83.0 0.880 5.4 3.85 .502 J.R. Richard LOS03 1973 1980 1.77 13 107.0 0.916 9.9 3.47 .505 Alex Wood LOS03 2013 2017 1.78 16 111.0 0.883 8.9 4.78 .507 Dwight Gooden LOS03 1984 1994 1.82 11 84.0 1.060 8.4 4.11 .545 Jim OToole LOS03 1962 1966 1.87 10 77.0 1.117 6.2 3.53 .581
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2017.
Dodger notes as they take aim on the Rockies
Lots of great stuff came through the daily Dodger press release this afternoon. One of the great secrets of a Dodger broadcast is that the Dodgers provide boatloads of stats for the broadcasters to refer to during a game. You can be sure that Joe and Orel will sample many of the stats found below.
I normally would take some of these stats to write a column around but with the Dodgers so hot, there are just too many nuggets to work with, so here is the Dodger Press Release. Remember all these stats were compiled by the Dodgers for the media. I think I can release them as they were written.
Dodger Notes:
This is the first time in the divisional era (since 1969) that 3+ teams in the same division have all had a .615+ win percentage through games of June 22. SOURCE: STATS, LLC
The club’s last eight-game winning streak was from Aug. 7-17, 2013, when they were in the midst of a 42-8 stretch.
The Dodgers have won eight consecutive games at Dodger Stadium, their most since recording 10 straight victories at home from June 17-July 5, 2016. The club is 29-10 (.744) at home this season, which is the best mark in the Major Leagues. The club is 40-11 (.784) in its last 51 games at the Ravine since Sept. 3, 2016, which is the best home record in the Majors during that span.
In 20 games during the month of June, the Dodgers own the best record in the Major Leagues at 15-5 (.750).
The Dodgers’ +123 run differential is the best in the Major Leagues, three runs better than the Houston Astros (+117).
The Dodgers have homered in 14 straight games. The last time the Dodgers homered in 15 straight games was from June 7-22, 1977.
The Dodgers’ 15 homers in the Mets’ series were the most hit in a series in franchise history, besting the 14 blasts they hit at Coors Field from Sept. 25-28, 1997.
Cody Bellinger extended his career-high hitting streak last night to eight games and is slashing .303/.376/.829 with 17 runs, seven doubles, 11 home runs and 20 RBI in 20 June games. Bellinger leads the Majors in home runs and slugging percentage during June and his 11 home runs this month are the most by a Dodger rookie in a single month.
Since his promotion on April 25, Bellinger leads the Majors in home runs (22) while ranking second in RBI (49) and fourth in slugging percentage (.665).
LONG MAY YOU SCORE RUNS: The Dodgers have scored six or more runs in each of their last six contests. That is one away from their longest streak since moving to Los Angeles:
LA Dodgers, Most Consec Games w/ 6+ Runs – Since 1958
Los Angeles Dodgers 7 06/26/2001 – 07/02/2001
Los Angeles Dodgers 6 06/17/2017 – ACTIVE
Los Angeles Dodgers 6 05/17/2012 – 05/22/2012
Seven other streaks of 6
The 54 runs the club has scored over that six-game stretch are the most they have tallied in a six-game span in more than 20 years, with the last 54+ run outburst coming from June 29—July 4, 1996, when they plated 56 runs against the Rockies and Padres. SOURCE: STATS , LLC
Is Puig the best 8th hitter?
Much has been made about the success that Puig is having hitting out of the eight hole, which led me to wonder if Puig was the best eight hitter in baseball?
The simple answer is no. He is, however, one of the best. I used 50 PA as the criteria for this which might be too low. The table below has several interesting columns. The OPS is what that hitter is doing from the eight spot. The OPStot column is their cumulative total OPS for the season. The PA column is the number of plate appearances hitting from the eight spot. The PAtot column is the total number of plate appearances.
This shows that while Puig has hit in the eight spot a lot, he has spent much more time in other spots in the order.
That .881 OPS by Puig is very good. Seven home runs in only 113 plate appearances is excellent. He is clearly thriving from the eight hole, but he is far from the best at it.
Player OPS OPStot PA PAtot HR RBI BB BA OBP SLG Matt Wieters 1.137 .690 65 225 5 13 9 .345 .446 .691 Kolten Wong .964 .838 100 179 1 15 12 .341 .434 .529 Devin Mesoraco .961 .842 66 107 4 6 10 .255 .379 .582 Travis dArnaud .910 .736 91 143 7 20 8 .259 .330 .580 Cameron Rupp .894 .650 51 168 2 6 5 .304 .373 .522 Yasiel Puig .881 .773 113 271 7 19 13 .268 .345 .536 Jordy Mercer .863 .785 116 273 3 11 15 .297 .388 .475 Jarrod Dyson .856 .686 69 246 2 11 6 .317 .406 .450 Sandy Leon .827 .653 70 145 3 11 6 .281 .343 .484 Joey Gallo .820 .820 82 255 5 16 10 .194 .293 .528 Chase Headley .816 .697 66 263 1 8 10 .315 .409 .407 Michael Taylor .815 .763 92 210 4 11 4 .284 .315 .500 Eddie Rosario .809 .768 104 234 3 9 5 .306 .340 .469 Andrew Knapp .799 .720 54 108 2 4 7 .255 .352 .447
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2017.
Kershaw 102 Game Score rides high
When it comes to game score, breaking 100 is the platinum barrier and Clayton Kershaw broke the barrier with his no-hitter against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium.
That is not surprising. What is surprising is that Ted Lilly has the second-best game score against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Ted Lilly!
This list has all sorts of odd names.
Odalis Perez – Odalis had five games with a game score greater than 80 in his career. This game was the second best of his career. They were both one-hitters.
Jeff Weaver – This would be the greatest game that Jeff Weaver pitched for the Dodgers and the greatest game he would pitch while in the NL. It was the second best game of his long career, while with the Tigers he would throw a one-hitter with eleven K’s for a game score of 94
Brian Bohanon – This would be the second best game of his career. A year later he would be pitching for the Rockies and put up a game score of 85. Two years later his career was over. Only twice in his career did he throw a game score of 80.
It also has Alex Wood who threw one of his greatest games as a Dodger when he went eight brilliant innings against the Rockies on Sep 16th, 2015. Obviously, Dave Roberts wasn’t managing because Alex Wood pitched eight innings.
Alex Wood and Clayton Kershaw will be pitching this weekend. Nice timing
Below are the games scores greater than 80 by a LAD against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium:
Player Date Tm Opp Rslt IP H ER BB SO GSc Clayton Kershaw 2014-06-18 LAD COL W 8-0 9.0 0 0 0 15 102 Ted Lilly 2010-08-19 LAD COL W 2-0 9.0 2 0 2 11 92 Zack Greinke 2013-07-13 LAD COL W 1-0 9.0 2 0 1 9 91 Odalis Perez 2002-06-25 LAD COL W 4-0 9.0 1 0 1 6 90 Jeff Weaver 2005-09-12 LAD COL W 7-0 9.0 3 0 1 9 89 Hideo Nomo 1995-06-29 LAD COL W 3-0 9.0 6 0 1 13 87 Ramon Martinez 1993-05-23 LAD COL W 4-0 9.0 3 0 3 8 86 Alex Wood 2015-09-16 LAD COL W 2-0 8.0 1 0 0 5 85 Kevin Brown 2000-07-19 LAD COL W 9-1 8.0 1 0 1 8 85 Clayton Kershaw 2010-05-09 LAD COL W 2-0 8.0 2 0 3 9 84 Orel Hershiser 1993-05-21 LAD COL W 8-0 9.0 5 0 0 7 84 Ismael Valdez 1997-06-25 LAD COL W 2-0 8.1 4 0 0 8 83 Clayton Kershaw 2012-09-28 LAD COL W 8-0 8.0 5 0 2 10 80 Kevin Brown 2003-07-24 LAD COL W 1-0 8.0 3 0 2 6 80 Brian Bohanon 1998-09-16 LAD COL W 2-0 8.0 5 0 2 10 80
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2017.
Grandal / Kemp lead LAD Total Base leaderboard against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium
Given how hot the Dodger offense is right now, and how badly the Rockie pitching is lately, I could easily see a scenario where this leaderboard gets updated on Monday morning.
Yazmani Grandal has the best total base game ever against the Rockies, and he did it last September. Matt Kemp is the only other Dodger to have at least a double-digit total base game against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium.
Player Date Tm Opp Rslt R H 2B HR TB RBI Yasmani Grandal 2016-09-22 LAD COL W 7-4 2 4 1 2 11 5 Matt Kemp 2009-04-19 LAD COL W 14-2 3 3 1 2 10 5
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2017.
Which Dodger will crack the list this weekend? How about a dark horse candidate like Logan Forsythe?
Nolan Arenado and Troy Tulowitzki are the only Rockies with a double-digit game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Remember when Tulo was good? Shocking he was only good while a Rockie. At least the BlueJays only have to pay him $70 Million over the next four years to be one of the worst hitting shortstops in baseball. No big deal.
Player Date Tm Opp Rslt R H 2B HR TB RBI Nolan Arenado 2017-04-18 COL LAD W 4-3 2 3 1 2 10 3 Troy Tulowitzki 2010-09-18 COL LAD W 12-2 3 3 1 2 10 4
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2017.
Talk about a rewrite
On Monday, June 19th I posted the best total base games by any Dodgers against the Mets at Dodger Stadium. At the time I was surprised to find that the Dodgers have never had a double-digit total base game with that criteria.
That Monday night Cody Bellinger tied Gary Sheffield and Jim Lefebvre with the best offensive game against the Mets at Dodger Stadium with his two home runs and single. The exact same way the other two had gotten their nine total bases.
On Tuesday night Corey Seager obliterated what Cody Bellinger did on Monday night.
This is the new total base leaderboard against the Mets at Dodger Stadium
Player Date Tm Opp Rslt PA H 2B HR TB RBI Corey Seager 2017-06-20 LAD NYM W 12-0 5 4 1 3 14 6 Cody Bellinger 2017-06-19 LAD NYM W 10-6 5 3 0 2 9 4 Gary Sheffield 2000-08-19 LAD NYM W 4-1 4 3 0 2 9 3 Jim Lefebvre 1966-05-29 LAD NYM L 6-7 4 3 0 2 9 3
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2017.
This was the old one just four games ago.
Player Date Tm Opp Rslt PA R H HR TB RBI BB Gary Sheffield 2000-08-19 LAD NYM W 4-1 4 2 3 2 9 3 1 Jim Lefebvre 1966-05-29 LAD NYM L 6-7 4 3 3 2 9 3 1
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/20/2017.
And how does Corey Seager stack up now for the best total base game at Dodger Stadium?
How does best ever catch your fancy?
Player Date Tm Opp Rslt R H 2B HR TB RBI Corey Seager 2017-06-20 LAD NYM W 12-0 3 4 1 3 14 6 Yasmani Grandal 2016-07-08 LAD SDP W 10-6 3 5 0 3 14 6 Steve Garvey 1977-08-28 LAD STL W 11-0 5 5 3 2 14 5
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2017.
Tied with Grandal and Garvey anyway. Just a year ago, Grandal had his great game. Must be something in the water.
Fourteen days of glory
This is what it looks like when everyone is hitting. Enjoy it, because it rarely happens that the top of the lineup is in synch with the middle of the lineup, while still having the bottom of the lineup cleaning everything up.
Using Fangraphs once again for their fourteen-day splits:
I know it is just fourteen days, but have you ever seen a fourteen-day split table where every single hitter has a wRC+ > 100?
The long awaiting reawakening of Logan Forsythe has commenced.
Advanced:
| Name | Position | PA | HR | wOBA | wRC+ | ISO |
| Yasmani Grandal | S-C | 40 | 3 | 0.341 | 113 | 0.231 |
| Cody Bellinger | S-1st | 55 | 10 | 0.555 | 254 | 0.680 |
| Logan Forsythe | S-2nd | 42 | 1 | 0.338 | 111 | 0.114 |
| Corey Seager | S-SS | 57 | 4 | 0.500 | 218 | 0.362 |
| Justin Turner | S-3rd | 44 | 3 | 0.513 | 226 | 0.270 |
| Yasiel Puig | S-RF | 45 | 4 | 0.432 | 173 | 0.385 |
| Joc Pederson | S-CF | 41 | 2 | 0.432 | 173 | 0.300 |
| Chris Taylor | S-LF | 50 | 2 | 0.321 | 100 | 0.217 |
| Chase Utley | R-2nd | 35 | 1 | 0.337 | 111 | 0.200 |
| Austin Barnes | R-C | 15 | 0 | 0.362 | 127 | 0.071 |
| Kiké Hernandez | R-Utility | 28 | 2 | 0.335 | 109 | 0.320 |
| Franklin Gutierrez | R-OF | 11 | 0 | 0.365 | 129 | 0.000 |
Conventional:
| Name | Position | PA | HR | R | RBI | OPS |
| Yasmani Grandal | S-C | 40 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 0.813 |
| Cody Bellinger | S-1st | 55 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 1.420 |
| Logan Forsythe | S-2nd | 42 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0.752 |
| Corey Seager | S-SS | 57 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 1.236 |
| Justin Turner | S-3rd | 44 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 1.226 |
| Yasiel Puig | S-RF | 45 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 1.070 |
| Joc Pederson | S-CF | 41 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 1.030 |
| Chris Taylor | S-LF | 50 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 0.757 |
| Chase Utley | R-2nd | 35 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0.776 |
| Austin Barnes | R-C | 15 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.829 |
| Kiké Hernandez | R-Utility | 28 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0.806 |
| Franklin Gutierrez | R-OF | 11 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.788 |
Dodger offense blowing like a Santa Ana
Dodger fans have seen Dodger hot streaks before but I’m not sure they have seen this kind of hot streak. June started off with the normal June gloom but as the weather turned hot, so have the Dodger bats.
Fueled by the greatest collection of young talent since the Piazza/Mondesi/Karros days the Dodgers have been hitting home runs at a historic rate.
Using some advanced metrics over the last fourteen days:
- The Dodgers are first in ISO at .291
- The Dodgers are first in wOBA at .401
- The Dodgers are first in wRC+ at 153
- The Dodgers are first in Offensive WAR
- The Dodgers are even tied for second in Defensive WAR
In two words to describe how hot the Dodgers have been.
Holy Shit
| Team | ISO | wOBA | wRC+ | Off | Def | WAR |
| Dodgers | 0.291 | 0.401 | 153 | 34.2 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
| Yankees | 0.232 | 0.386 | 142 | 27.9 | 1.7 | 4.8 |
| Rays | 0.238 | 0.372 | 136 | 24 | -0.9 | 4.1 |
| Indians | 0.228 | 0.378 | 136 | 22.8 | -1.2 | 4 |
| Diamondbacks | 0.219 | 0.385 | 131 | 18.2 | 0.7 | 3.3 |
| Cardinals | 0.248 | 0.359 | 122 | 13.1 | 0.6 | 2.9 |
| Astros | 0.216 | 0.359 | 127 | 14.4 | -3.2 | 2.8 |
| Marlins | 0.173 | 0.342 | 110 | 6.2 | 5.6 | 2.7 |
| Nationals | 0.197 | 0.332 | 102 | 2.9 | 6 | 2.6 |
| Giants | 0.17 | 0.326 | 103 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 2.5 |
| Twins | 0.176 | 0.332 | 105 | 4.7 | 1 | 2.4 |
| White Sox | 0.167 | 0.347 | 115 | 10.1 | -3.5 | 2.4 |
| Angels | 0.157 | 0.327 | 107 | 5.2 | 1.4 | 2.4 |
| Royals | 0.209 | 0.334 | 105 | 1.7 | 4.6 | 2.3 |
| Cubs | 0.218 | 0.335 | 105 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 2.3 |
| Pirates | 0.157 | 0.334 | 107 | 4.6 | 1.6 | 2.2 |
| Mets | 0.202 | 0.327 | 103 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 2 |
| Rangers | 0.214 | 0.328 | 100 | 2 | 1.5 | 2 |
| Mariners | 0.14 | 0.321 | 103 | -0.2 | 0.7 | 1.9 |
| Padres | 0.19 | 0.332 | 106 | 4.3 | -1.8 | 1.8 |
| Red Sox | 0.154 | 0.326 | 98 | -2.7 | 1.4 | 1.8 |
| Brewers | 0.205 | 0.325 | 92 | -3.7 | 3.8 | 1.7 |
| Reds | 0.185 | 0.317 | 92 | -4.4 | 5.9 | 1.7 |
| Rockies | 0.162 | 0.346 | 94 | -4.9 | 3.8 | 1.5 |
| Athletics | 0.157 | 0.324 | 105 | 2.4 | -6.6 | 1.3 |
| Braves | 0.147 | 0.314 | 90 | -8.7 | 4 | 1.2 |
| Blue Jays | 0.177 | 0.329 | 102 | 0.3 | -3.1 | 1.2 |
| Tigers | 0.157 | 0.321 | 98 | -3.5 | -2.6 | 1.1 |
| Orioles | 0.179 | 0.316 | 94 | -5.6 | -1.3 | 1.1 |
| Phillies | 0.097 | 0.272 | 64 | -25.5 | 2.8 | -0.6 |
How about conventional statistics?
- They are first in home runs
- They are first in runs scored
- They are 2nd in RBI
- They are tied for 2nd in OBP
- They are first in slug
- They are first in OPS
| Team | HR | R | RBI | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Dodgers | 32 | 90 | 87 | 0.382 | 0.585 | 0.967 |
| Yankees | 27 | 88 | 88 | 0.383 | 0.534 | 0.917 |
| Rays | 27 | 83 | 82 | 0.352 | 0.536 | 0.888 |
| Indians | 22 | 85 | 82 | 0.375 | 0.525 | 0.900 |
| Diamondbacks | 18 | 78 | 77 | 0.382 | 0.534 | 0.916 |
| Cardinals | 27 | 77 | 73 | 0.341 | 0.518 | 0.859 |
| Astros | 21 | 65 | 63 | 0.350 | 0.500 | 0.850 |
| Marlins | 16 | 74 | 71 | 0.344 | 0.458 | 0.802 |
| Nationals | 22 | 77 | 76 | 0.324 | 0.473 | 0.797 |
| Giants | 14 | 59 | 58 | 0.329 | 0.441 | 0.770 |
| Twins | 21 | 71 | 68 | 0.335 | 0.442 | 0.777 |
| White Sox | 15 | 70 | 66 | 0.351 | 0.469 | 0.820 |
| Angels | 15 | 73 | 72 | 0.331 | 0.430 | 0.761 |
| Royals | 22 | 69 | 66 | 0.318 | 0.478 | 0.796 |
| Cubs | 22 | 59 | 56 | 0.329 | 0.464 | 0.793 |
| Pirates | 12 | 59 | 55 | 0.349 | 0.428 | 0.777 |
| Mets | 23 | 58 | 55 | 0.321 | 0.453 | 0.774 |
| Rangers | 22 | 68 | 65 | 0.317 | 0.455 | 0.772 |
| Mariners | 14 | 69 | 65 | 0.332 | 0.417 | 0.749 |
| Padres | 21 | 55 | 55 | 0.331 | 0.442 | 0.773 |
| Red Sox | 14 | 60 | 58 | 0.340 | 0.426 | 0.766 |
| Brewers | 23 | 58 | 56 | 0.316 | 0.454 | 0.770 |
| Reds | 17 | 50 | 47 | 0.311 | 0.435 | 0.746 |
| Rockies | 13 | 73 | 70 | 0.352 | 0.462 | 0.814 |
| Athletics | 12 | 57 | 55 | 0.335 | 0.419 | 0.754 |
| Braves | 15 | 68 | 67 | 0.323 | 0.418 | 0.741 |
| Blue Jays | 15 | 46 | 45 | 0.332 | 0.432 | 0.764 |
| Tigers | 15 | 57 | 51 | 0.321 | 0.429 | 0.750 |
| Orioles | 19 | 61 | 59 | 0.306 | 0.435 | 0.741 |
| Phillies | 6 | 36 | 34 | 0.292 | 0.332 | 0.624 |
LAD Single Season HR Leaders
[Updated 08/23/2023]
As of 8/23/2023 Mookie Betts has already hit 34 home runs as he tries to claim his 3rd Dodger single season home run title in four years.
Mookie Betts claimed his 2nd single season Dodger home run crown by slugging 35 dingers. The slight built Mookie has shown more power the older he gets. Will Smith moved up for 3rd in 2021 to 2nd in 2022 with 24 home runs. The newest Dodger star Freddie Freeman hammered 21 home runs, along with Max Muncy, and Trea Turner. Cody Bellinger hit 19 giving him 41 home runs from 2020 – 2022 after hitting 47 home runs in 2019, and 111 home runs between 2017 – 2019. Trayce Thompson hit 13 home runs after arriving to the Dodgers in mid-summer. Justin Turner in his farewell season, hit only 13 home runs.
In 2021 Max Muncy claimed his 2nd Dodger season home run title with 36, a distant 2nd was Justin Turner with 27. Will Smith got on the Dodger leaderboard with a robust 25. 2020 leaders Mookie Betts and AJ Pollock hit 23 and 21 respectively. Cody Bellinger continued his descent by only hitting 10 home runs, a far far cry from his massive home runs seasons of 2017 – 2019. A strange name on the leaderboard for Dodger fans was that of Albert Pujols who slugged 12 home runs in only 204 plate appearances.
Due to the shortened seasonin 2020, Mookie Betts and AJ Pollock tied for the team lead in home runs with only 16. Seager was 2nd with 15. Bellinger who had led the team in home runs in 2017 and 2019 only hit 12, and Max Muncy who led the team with 35 in 2018 also only hit 12 in 2020.
Cody Bellinger led the 2019 team in home runs, and for most of the summer, it looked like Cody would break the single-season home run record set by Shawn Green in 2001 with 49. Cody hit only five home runs in Sept and finished with 47, and was unable to catch Shawn Green but also fell one home run shy of the 48 that Adrian Beltre hit in 2004.
Max Muncy led the Dodgers in home runs in 2018 with 35 and he might be the most improbable single-season LAD home run leader in their history when you think about where he came from to do it. In the spring of 2018 Max Muncy was simply insurance depth but when Justin Turner went down in April Max got the call and boy did he answer it.
Cody Bellinger broke onto the scene in a huge way leading the Dodgers in home runs in 2017 while breaking the NL home run record for a rookie by slugging 39 of them. Bellinger joins Frank Howard, Jim Lefebvre, and Mike Piazza as the only rookies to lead the team in home runs.
Below are some thoughts on LAD seasonal home run leaders and the complete list.
Several LAD have led their team in home runs four times. Frank Howard, Ron Cey, and Pedro Guerrero, but only Mike Piazza has done it five times.
Billy Grabarkewitz was the closest thing to a shortstop leading the team but many of 1970 appearances came as 3rd baseman.
Charlie Neal, Davey Lopes, and Jeff Kent are the only 2nd baseman to do the trick.
John Roseboro was joined by Yazmani Grandal last year as the only catchers to lead the team in home runs. Roseboro joins Muncy, Lou Johnson, and Len Gabrielson as strange bedfellows to lead the LAD in home runs in a single season.
The best bar bet in Los Angeles for forty years was Len Gabrielson leading the team in 1968 with only 10 home runs.
HOF on this list includes Frank Robinson, Mike Piazza, and future HOF Adrian Beltre.
Homegrown LAD leaders were Frank Howard, Jim Lefebvre, Billy Grabarkewitz, Al Ferrera, Willie Davis, Joe Ferguson, Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Mike Marshall, Franklin Stubbs, Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Adrian Beltre, Matt Kemp, and Cody Bellinger.
You could include Pedro Guerrero who was only 17 when the Dodgers acquired him from the Indians.
Between 2008 and 2015 the only Dodgers to lead the team in home runs were Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, and Adrian Gonzalez.
Between 1992 – 2000 the only Dodgers to lead the team in home runs were Mike Piazza, Eric Karros, Raul Mondesi, and Gary Sheffield
Between 1965 – 1970 only one Dodger hit at least 20 home runs and that was Jim Lefebvre in 1966.
No Dodger had hit at least 30 home runs since Matt Kemp in 2011 until Cody Bellinger hit 39 in 2017. Since that point, Bellinger 39, Muncy 35, and Bellinger 47 have all done the trick.
| Player | HR | Year | Age | PA | OPS |
| Charlie Neal | 22 | 1958 | 27 | 549 | 0.779 |
| Gil Hodges | 22 | 1958 | 34 | 532 | 0.764 |
| Gil Hodges | 25 | 1959 | 35 | 480 | 0.880 |
| Frank Howard | 23 | 1960 | 23 | 487 | 0.784 |
| John Roseboro | 18 | 1961 | 28 | 462 | 0.805 |
| Frank Howard | 31 | 1962 | 25 | 538 | 0.906 |
| Frank Howard | 28 | 1963 | 26 | 459 | 0.848 |
| Frank Howard | 24 | 1964 | 27 | 492 | 0.735 |
| Jim Lefebvre | 12 | 1965 | 23 | 631 | 0.706 |
| Lou Johnson | 12 | 1965 | 30 | 518 | 0.706 |
| Jim Lefebvre | 24 | 1966 | 24 | 610 | 0.793 |
| Al Ferrara | 16 | 1967 | 27 | 384 | 0.812 |
| Len Gabrielson | 10 | 1968 | 28 | 343 | 0.765 |
| Andy Kosko | 19 | 1969 | 27 | 453 | 0.704 |
| Billy Grabarkewitz | 17 | 1970 | 24 | 640 | 0.852 |
| Dick Allen | 23 | 1971 | 29 | 649 | 0.863 |
| Frank Robinson | 19 | 1972 | 36 | 405 | 0.795 |
| Willie Davis | 19 | 1972 | 32 | 654 | 0.758 |
| Joe Ferguson | 25 | 1973 | 26 | 585 | 0.839 |
| Jim Wynn | 32 | 1974 | 32 | 656 | 0.884 |
| Ron Cey | 25 | 1975 | 27 | 662 | 0.845 |
| Ron Cey | 23 | 1976 | 28 | 600 | 0.848 |
| Steve Garvey | 33 | 1977 | 28 | 696 | 0.834 |
| Reggie Smith | 29 | 1978 | 33 | 531 | 0.942 |
| Davey Lopes | 28 | 1979 | 34 | 692 | 0.836 |
| Steve Garvey | 28 | 1979 | 30 | 697 | 0.848 |
| Ron Cey | 28 | 1979 | 31 | 579 | 0.888 |
| Dusty Baker | 29 | 1980 | 31 | 638 | 0.842 |
| Ron Cey | 13 | 1981 | 33 | 359 | 0.846 |
| Pedro Guerrero | 32 | 1982 | 26 | 652 | 0.914 |
| Pedro Guerrero | 32 | 1983 | 27 | 664 | 0.904 |
| Mike Marshall | 21 | 1984 | 24 | 541 | 0.753 |
| Pedro Guerrero | 33 | 1985 | 29 | 581 | 0.999 |
| Franklin Stubbs | 23 | 1986 | 25 | 465 | 0.712 |
| Pedro Guerrero | 27 | 1987 | 31 | 630 | 0.955 |
| Kirk Gibson | 25 | 1988 | 31 | 632 | 0.860 |
| Eddie Murray | 20 | 1989 | 33 | 690 | 0.743 |
| Kal Daniels | 27 | 1990 | 26 | 526 | 0.920 |
| Darryl Strawberry | 28 | 1991 | 29 | 588 | 0.852 |
| Eric Karros | 20 | 1992 | 24 | 589 | 0.730 |
| Mike Piazza | 35 | 1993 | 24 | 602 | 0.932 |
| Mike Piazza | 24 | 1994 | 25 | 441 | 0.910 |
| Mike Piazza | 32 | 1995 | 26 | 475 | 1.006 |
| Mike Piazza | 36 | 1996 | 27 | 631 | 0.985 |
| Mike Piazza | 40 | 1997 | 28 | 633 | 1.070 |
| Raul Mondesi | 30 | 1998 | 27 | 617 | 0.813 |
| Gary Sheffield | 34 | 1999 | 30 | 663 | 0.930 |
| Eric Karros | 34 | 1999 | 31 | 639 | 0.912 |
| Gary Sheffield | 43 | 2000 | 31 | 612 | 1.081 |
| Shawn Green | 49 | 2001 | 28 | 701 | 0.970 |
| Shawn Green | 42 | 2002 | 29 | 685 | 0.944 |
| Adrian Beltre | 23 | 2003 | 24 | 608 | 0.714 |
| Adrian Beltre | 48 | 2004 | 25 | 657 | 1.017 |
| Jeff Kent | 29 | 2005 | 37 | 637 | 0.889 |
| Nomar Garciaparra | 20 | 2006 | 32 | 523 | 0.872 |
| J.D. Drew | 20 | 2006 | 30 | 594 | 0.891 |
| Jeff Kent | 20 | 2007 | 39 | 562 | 0.875 |
| Andre Ethier | 20 | 2008 | 26 | 596 | 0.885 |
| Andre Ethier | 31 | 2009 | 27 | 685 | 0.869 |
| Matt Kemp | 28 | 2010 | 25 | 668 | 0.760 |
| Matt Kemp | 39 | 2011 | 26 | 689 | 0.986 |
| Matt Kemp | 23 | 2012 | 27 | 449 | 0.906 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 22 | 2013 | 31 | 641 | 0.803 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 27 | 2014 | 32 | 660 | 0.817 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 28 | 2015 | 33 | 643 | 0.830 |
| Justin Turner | 27 | 2016 | 31 | 622 | 0.832 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 27 | 2016 | 27 | 457 | 0.816 |
| Cody Bellinger | 39 | 2017 | 21 | 543 | .933 |
| Max Muncy | 35 | 2018 | 27 | 481 | .973 |
| Cody Bellinger | 47 | 2019 | 23 | 661 | 1.035 |
| Mookie Betts and AJ Pollock | 16 | 2020 | 27 and 32 | 246 and 210 | .927 and .881 |
| Max Muncy | 36 | 2021 | 30 | 592 | .895 |
| Mookie Betts | 34 | 2022 | 29 | 639 | .873 |
| Mookie Betts | 34 | 2023 | 30 | 542 | .995 |
Dodgers, Yesterday and Today 