Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
While the Los Angeles Dodgers have made a strong case to be the latest MLB dynasty by winning back-to-back World Series titles and three in the last six years, their franchise history and success since 2000 is a mixed bag.
Up until the current era, there were middling levels of postseason accomplishments since the turn of the century. But there have also been impressive individual performances and players who carved out a special place in the Dodgers’ franchise history.
The DodgerBlue.com staff has ranked the best Dodgers players in the last 25 years. Among various factors considered, the all-time Dodgers list was compiled by evaluating a player’s contributions and significance to the franchise.
Dodgers quarter-century all-time team
No. 20: Adrián González
The Dodgers acquired Adrián González in an Aug. 2012 blockbuster trade with the Boston Red Sox, along with Josh Beckett, Nick Punto and Carl Crawford, shortly after the Guggenheim Baseball Management Group officially took control of the club from Frank McCourt.
González was one of the top first baseman in baseball after spending time with the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres and Red Sox, earning four All-Star appearances, three Gold Glove Awards, a Silver Slugger Award, and finishing in the top-20 of MVP voting five times.
For the Dodgers, the trade represented more than just acquiring a star player. It showed the new ownership was committed to putting the best roster on the field after the McCourt era.
On the same day González was acquired, he slugged a three-run homer in his first at-bat for the Dodgers, which came against the Miami Marlins. The Dodgers narrowly missed the playoffs that season, but set themselves up for success moving forward.
In his first full season for the Dodgers in 2013, González hit .293/.342/.461 with 22 home runs, 100 RBI and 69 runs scored with a 124 wRC+ to help lead the club to the postseason for the first time since 2009.
During the 2013 postseason, González hit .316/.366/.605, including a two-homer game against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series, but the Dodgers ended up losing the series in six games.
He posted the best season of his career in 2014, finishing the season as the Dodgers’ nominee for the Hank Aaron Award, along with winning the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards, the Fielding Bible Award, and the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award, in addition to finishing seventh in MVP voting.
González led MLB with 116 RBI while slashing .276/.335/.482 with 27 home runs, 83 runs scored and 3.7 WAR.
In 2015, González started off the season by making MLB history when he became the first player to hit five home runs in the first three games of the season, with three of those coming against Andrew Cashner on April 8.
He also homered in five consecutive games dating back to the 2014 season, which tied the Dodgers record shared with Roy Campanella (1950), Shawn Green (2001), Matt Kemp (2010), and Joc Pederson (2015).
González was selected to his first and only All-Star game with the Dodgers, becoming the first L.A. first baseman selected since Nomar Garciaparra in 2006.
Gonzalez’s last season with the club came in 2017, and in his final at-bat with the Dodgers, he hit a home run against the Padres, giving him a homer in both his first and last at-bat with them.
His tenure came to an end when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in a deal for Matt Kemp in Dec. 2017.
Over his six seasons with the Dodgers, González played in 735 games, hitting .280/.339/.454 with 101 home runs, 448 RBI, 323 runs scored and 10.1 WAR. In that stretch, he also recorded the 300th home run, 1,000th RBI and 2,000th hit of his career.
Among all Dodgers hitters since the start of the 2000s, González ranks seventh in RBI, 14th in games played (735), 15th in batting average, home runs and wRC+ (118), 19th in runs scored and on-base plus slugging (.793), and 22nd in WAR.
No. 21: Yasiel Puig
No. 22: Chris Taylor
No. 23: Russel Martin
No. 24: Kiké Hernández
No. 25: Miguel Rojas
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
