Get to know the Dodgers for HRDX (2024)

A team with worldwide prestige, the Los Angeles Dodgers will show why they are one of baseball’s most iconic franchises in FTX MLB Home Run Derby X. Whether they’re crushing homers in California or launching long balls in London, the team is sure to entertain this summer no matter what. So as we prepare for the Dodgers to compete in HRDX starting on July 9, here is what you need to know about the franchise.

Franchise history
Founded in 1883, the team officially adopted the Dodgers moniker in 1932, which comes from their Brooklyn, New York, roots where fans would have to dodge streetcars around town. The team moved from Brooklyn prior to the 1958 season to sunny Los Angeles, California, where they have been ever since.

These days, the Dodgers compete in the National League West division alongside the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and rival San Francisco Giants. Over the past decade, the Dodgers have taken home the NL West title eight times and have won 19 division titles overall.

World Series titles: 7
Years: 2020, 1988, 1981, 1965, 1963, 1959, 1955

With seven championships, the Dodgers have the sixth-most across all teams in baseball with their most recent breaking a more than 30-year title drought. Some of the most iconic moments in baseball history have come from the Dodgers in the World Series, such as Kirk Gibson’s miracle home run in ‘88. Recent history hasn’t been kind to the Dodgers, as they won only one championship in their three trips to the World Series since 2017, but as one of the best teams in MLB year in and year out, they have a good chance to add another soon.

5 iconic players

Jackie Robinson, 2B, 1947-56: One of the most iconic players in baseball history, Robinson not only broke the color barrier and became the first Black player in MLB in 1947, but he also took home Rookie of the Year honors. In 1949, he was named the NL MVP after winning the batting title and became a World Series champion with the Dodgers in 1955.

Duke Snider, CF, 1947-62: A feared slugger during his time, Snider holds the Dodgers record for home runs with 389. He was a two-time World Series champion, an eight-time All-Star and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980.

Sandy Koufax, LHP, 1955-66: Koufax was known as the man with the “Left Arm of God” during his 12-year career. From 1961 to ‘66, he went on one of the most dominant stretches baseball has ever seen, winning three Cy Young Awards, five ERA titles, three Triple Crowns, two World Series MVP Awards and an NL MVP Award.

Fernando Valenzuela, LHP, 1980-90: “Fernandomania” took the world by storm during his rookie year, as Valenzuela won both the NL Rookie of the Year Award and Cy Young Award in 1981. Valenzuela is the all-time leader in WAR by a Mexican-born player at 41.5.

Clayton Kershaw, LHP, 2008-Present: Kershaw set the record for most strikeouts as a Dodger in 2022, passing Don Sutton with his 2,487th in May. His finest season came in 2014, when he took home his third NL Cy Young Award in four years and became the first pitcher to win the NL MVP Award since Bob Gibson in 1968.

Biggest current star: Mookie Betts

A two-time World Series champ, four-time Silver Slugger Afward winner, five-time All-Star and an MVP all before the age of 30, Mookie Betts is one of baseball’s brightest stars. He made an immediate impact after the Dodgers acquired him from the Red Sox in 2020, leading the team to their first World Series title in more than three decades. He was runner-up in NL MVP Award voting that season, but the player who took home that award, Freddie Freeman, is now teammates with Mookie in L.A.

HRDX Legend: Adrián González
González played for the Dodgers for parts of six seasons and was a force in the middle of their lineup during that time. He hit 101 of his 317 career home runs in Dodger blue. Raised in Tijuana, Mexico, González attended high school in Chula Vista, Calif., and was taken first overall in the 2000 MLB Draft by the Marlins. His father was a part of Mexico’s national baseball team and González himself represented Mexico in the World Baseball Classic four times during his career.

Now, González is a part of the Dodgers’ broadcast team, working as a pre- and postgame analyst. He’ll dust off the cleats and grab a bat to show everyone why he was once one of the game’s best home run hitters in HRDX.

Biggest rival: Giants
One of the most heated rivalries in all of sports, the Dodgers and Giants have been foes since their days in New York, with the first meeting taking place all the way back in 1890. The rivalry reached a new height in 2021, as the two teams met in the postseason for the first time during the NLDS. The Dodgers took the series 3 games to 2, but with both teams seemingly always in the playoff hunt, it won’t be the last time they meet in October.

Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
Nestled in the hillside of Chavez Ravine in northern Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium is one of the most historic ballparks in baseball. Opening in 1962, Dodger Stadium has played host to numerous iconic events, including 10 World Series, two World Baseball Classic finals, an All-Star Game – soon to be two in 2022 – and even an NHL hockey game. The stadium offers incredible views to go along with incredible baseball, as the downtown L.A. skyline can be seen from the concourse.

Uniforms
When it comes to looks, there’s no one with a more classic jersey set than the Dodgers. Simple but timeless, the Dodger blue script across the chest and the interlocked L.A. on the hat are recognizable around the world. The thing that pops out the most, though? The red numbers on the front, which were introduced in the 1950s when the Dodgers became the first team to include numbering on the front of a jersey.