The 2019 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 130th season for the franchise in Major League Baseball, and their 62nd season in Los Angeles, California. They played their home games at Dodger Stadium. On September 4, the Dodgers broke the National League record for most home runs in a season with their 250th home run, breaking the old mark set by the 2000 Houston Astros. The record would later be broken by the 2023 Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff berth by winning their seventh straight National League West title on September 10, the earliest they had clinched in franchise history. They finished the regular season with a record of 106–56, breaking the franchise record for wins in a season previously held by the 1953 Dodgers. Their 106–56 record was the second best in the MLB, just one game less than the Houston Astros who had a record of 107–55. The Dodgers lost to the eventual World Series champion Washington Nationals in the NLDS in five games, ending their streak of three straight NLCS appearances. With the Nationals going on to win the World Series, the Dodgers became the second franchise to be eliminated by the eventual World Series champions in four consecutive postseasons, with the New York Yankees from 2001 to 2004 being the first.
Offseason
Front Office / Coaching staff Third base coach Chris Woodward left his position with the Dodgers after the 2018 season to become the Manager of the Texas Rangers and shortly afterwards hitting coach Turner Ward left the team to take on a similar position with the Cincinnati Reds. Assistant hitting coach Luis Ortiz also left the team to take on a role as hitting coach for the Texas Rangers.
On November 6, general manager Farhan Zaidi left the Dodgers to become the President of Baseball Operations for the San Francisco Giants.
On November 28, the Dodgers finalized their coaching staff. They named Dino Ebel as the new third base coach, Robert Van Scoyoc as the hitting coach, Aaron Bates as assistant hitting coach and Chris Gimenez as game planning coach. They also promoted Brant Brown to the new position of hitting strategist. On December 3, they agreed to a four-year contract extension with manager Dave Roberts, running through the 2022 season.
The Dodgers announced in December that they would not be hiring a new general manager during the off-season, though they did hire Jeff Kingston to be Assistant general manager.
In March they promoted Brandon Gomes to also be an assistant GM and Will Rhymes to Gomes old position as Director of Player Development.
Broadcast team On December 17, 2018, the Dodgers announced that Tim Neverett would be joining the broadcast team. He would work select television and radio games in place of Charley Steiner who had chosen to scale back his work schedule. In addition, Kevin Kennedy would be leaving his part-time role with the team.
Roster departures On October 29, 2018, the day after the Dodgers season ended with a World Series loss, seven players became free agents. They included pitchers John Axford, Daniel Hudson, Ryan Madson and Hyun-jin Ryu, catcher Yasmani Grandal and infielders Brian Dozier and Manny Machado. In addition, second baseman Chase Utley, who had one more year remaining on his contract, retired. Ryu accepted the Dodgers $17.9 million qualifying offer and remained with the team for 2019. On November 20, the Dodgers released RHP Tom Koehler and designated LHP Zac Rosscup, RHP Erik Goeddel and IF/OF Tim Locastro for assignment. Switch Pitcher Pat Venditte was designated for assignment on November 28.
Trades On November 28, the Dodgers acquired left-handed pitcher Adam McCreery from the Atlanta Braves for cash. On December 21, 2018, the Dodgers traded outfielders Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig, left-handed pitcher Alex Wood, catcher/infielder Kyle Farmer and cash considerations to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for right-handed pitcher Homer Bailey and two minor leaguers, Jeter Downs and Josiah Gray. They released Bailey the same day. On January 11, the Dodgers acquired catcher Russell Martin from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for minor league prospects Andrew Sopko and Ronny Brito. The Blue Jays also sent cash to the Dodgers in the deal.
Signings On November 1, 2018, the Dodgers bought out corner infielder David Freese's 2019 option for $500,000 and then re-signed him for one year and $4.5 million. The following day, they reached a deal with starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, to avoid him opting out of his previous deal they agreed to a three-year, $93 million contract. This agreement extends his previous contract by one year and $28 million. On December 21, the Dodgers announced that they had signed right-handed pitcher Joe Kelly to a three-year, $27 million contract, which included an option for a fourth year. On January 26, 2019, the Dodgers signed outfielder A. J. Pollock to a four-year, $55 million contract that included a player option for a fifth year.
Off-season 40-man roster moves Departing Player Date TransactionNew Team Arriving playerOld teamDateTransaction John AxfordOctober 29Free agentToronto Blue Jays Yadier Álvarez Tulsa DrillersNovember 20 Added to 40-man roster Brian DozierOctober 29Free agentWashington NationalsMatt Beaty Oklahoma City Dodgers November 20Added to 40-man roster Yasmani GrandalOctober 29Free agentMilwaukee Brewers Edwin Ríos Oklahoma City Dodgers November 20 Added to 40-man roster Daniel HudsonOctober 29Free agentLos Angeles Angels Josh Sborz Oklahoma City DodgersNovember 20 Added to 40-man roster Manny MachadoOctober 29Free agentSan Diego Padres Keibert Ruiz Tulsa DrillersNovember 20 Added to 40-man roster Ryan MadsonOctober 29Free agentDid not sign Adam McCreeryAtlanta Braves November 28 Trade Chase UtleyOctober 29RetirementN/A Joe Kelly Boston Red Sox December 21 Free agent signing Erik GoeddelNovember 20Designated for AssignmentDid not sign Homer BaileyCincinnati RedsDecember 21Trade Tom KoehlerNovember 20ReleasedPittsburgh Pirates Jaime SchultzTampa Bay RaysJanuary 8Trade Tim LocastroNovember 20Designated for AssignmentNew York Yankees Russell MartinToronto Blue JaysJanuary 11Trade Zac RosscupNovember 20Designated for Assignment Seattle MarinersA. J. PollockArizona DiamondbacksJanuary 26Free agent signing Pat VenditteNovember 28Designated for Assignment San Francisco Giants Kyle FarmerDecember 21Trade Cincinnati Reds Matt KempDecember 21Trade Cincinnati Reds Yasiel PuigDecember 21Trade Cincinnati Reds Alex WoodDecember 21Trade Cincinnati Reds Homer BaileyDecember 21ReleasedKansas City Royals
Spring training The Dodgers began spring training on February 12, 2019, when pitchers and catchers reported to camp at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. On March 10, the Dodgers released right-handed relief pitcher Josh Fields when they claimed left-handed pitcher Donnie Hart off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles. Clayton Kershaw was expected to be the Dodgers opening day starter for a ninth straight season, but he experienced shoulder inflammation early in camp which kept him from pitching in spring training games and led to him beginning the season on the injured list. Near the end of spring training, Rich Hill came down with a strained MCL, leading to the Dodgers announcing that Hyun-jin Ryu would start on opening day and that Ross Stripling would also begin the season in the rotation.
Season standings
National League West
National League Wild Card
Record vs. opponents
Regular season +Opening Day startersName PositionJoc PedersonLeft fielderCorey Seager ShortstopJustin Turner Third basemanMax Muncy First basemanA. J. Pollock Center fielderCody Bellinger Right fielderKiké HernándezSecond basemanAustin BarnesCatcherHyun-jin Ryu Starting pitcher
March The season began on March 28 with a home series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hyun-Jin Ryu made the Opening Day start and allowed only one run while striking out eight in six innings. Meanwhile, the Dodgers offense hit an MLB opening day record eight home runs, with two each by Joc Pederson and Enrique Hernández. The Dodgers began the season with a 12–5 victory. In the second game, Ross Stripling struck out five over five scoreless innings and A. J. Pollock had four hits, including a double and a homer, as the Dodgers jumped out to a 3–0 lead. However, reliever Joe Kelly allowed a three-run homer to Christian Walker in the seventh and the game went into extra innings where the Diamondbacks won 5–4 thanks to a game-winning hit by Carson Kelly in the 13th inning. The Dodgers hit four more home runs in the third game of the season, including two by Cody Bellinger, as they routed the Diamondbacks, 18–5. Kenta Maeda in his debut, allowed three solo homers in 6 innings for the win. It was the first game in Dodger Stadium where both lead-off hitters (Joc Pederson for the Dodgers and Jarrod Dyson for the Diamondbacks) hit home runs in their first at-bats. Walker Buehler struggled in his debut, allowing five runs on five hits without striking anyone out in only three innings on March 31, but a two-run double by Pollock in the eighth helped the Dodgers come from behind to win 8–7. The 43-run total was a club record for a four-game series.
April Julio Urías got the start on April 1 in the opener of a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants. He struck out seven while allowing only three hits in five scoreless innings. However, Joe Kelly allowed four runs on four hits in 1 innings and the Giants won 4–2. Ryu struck out five and allowed two runs in seven innings in the next game while Cody Bellinger hit a grand slam home run and the Dodgers won 6–5. They hit at least one home run in each of their first six games, matching the franchise record set in 1954. They broke that record when Enrique Hernández homered in the next game, and then a two-run double by David Freese helped the Dodgers to a 5–3 comeback victory over the Giants to end the homestand.
On April 5, the Dodgers began their first road trip of the season with a trip to Coors Field to play the Colorado Rockies. Bellinger hit a three-run homer in the Dodgers 10–6 win in the opener. He set Dodgers franchise records with six homers and 16 RBI through the first eight games of the season and became only the third player in MLB history to accomplish that, joining Eddie Mathews (1954) and Alex Rodriguez (2007). Alex Verdugo homered and tripled as the Dodgers took the next game, 7–2. Bellinger hit his seventh home run as the Dodgers finished off a sweep of the Rockies with a 12–6 win. The Dodgers scored 84 runs in their first 10 games, the third most in MLB history behind only the 1932 Yankees and the 1999 Indians. The Dodgers next traveled to Busch Stadium for a four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. They lost the opener 4–3 as their five-game winning streak and 10 game homer streak both came to an end. In the following game the team was hitless in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position, stranding 13 base runners in a 4–0 shutout loss. Joc Pederson and Max Muncy hit back-to-back home runs on April 10 but those were the only runs the Dodgers scored in a 7–2 loss to the Cardinals. The Cardinals finished off their first four-game sweep of the Dodgers since 2010 with an 11–7 win in the finale.