2023 Los Angeles Dodgers season

Longtime Dodgers Spanish broadcaster Jaime Jarrín retired after the 2022 season. Jarrin had been their Spanish broadcaster for 64 years, the third-longest tenure an individual spent with a single team (only the late Vin Scully, at 67 years, and the late Tommy Lasorda, at 69 years, were with one team for longer than him - both also with the Dodgers).[1] On January 20, the Dodgers announced that they had hired Stephen Nelson to join the English-language broadcast team on SportsNet LA.[2]

On November 28, hitting coach Brant Brown left the Dodgers for a new position as hitting coach for the Miami Marlins.[3] On February 1, Danny Lehmann was promoted to the bench coach position, replacing Bob Geren who was named major league field coordinator.[4]

The Dodgers started their offseason moves on October 22, 2022, by outrighting pitcher Beau Burrows to the minors, causing him to become a free agent.[5] On November 6, the day after the 2022 World Series ended, 10 Dodgers players officially became free agents: pitchers Tyler Anderson, Andrew Heaney, Tommy Kahnle, Clayton Kershaw, Craig Kimbrel, Chris Martin, David Price, shortstop Trea Turner and outfielders Joey Gallo and Kevin Pillar.[6] On November 8, the Dodgers declined the 2023 club options on infielder Hanser Alberto[7] and pitchers Jimmy Nelson[8] and Danny Duffy,[9] making them free agents. On November 10, they declined the 2023 option on longtime third baseman Justin Turner, making him a free agent.[10] On November 18, the Dodgers non tendered outfielder Cody Bellinger and infielder Edwin Ríos.[11] On January 6, the Dodgers designated pitcher Trevor Bauer, who had been suspended for the entire 2022 season, for assignment.[12]

On November 8, the Dodgers acquired utility player Luke Williams via a waiver claim from the Miami Marlins,[13] however he was non-tendered on November 18.[11] On November 15, the Dodgers added four minor leaguers to the 40-man roster, catcher Diego Cartaya, infielder Michael Busch and outfielders Jonny DeLuca and Andy Pages.[14] On November 18, they claimed pitcher Jake Reed off waivers from the Boston Red Sox,[15] though he was later designated for assignment on December 29.[16] On December 1, the Dodgers signed pitcher Shelby Miller to a one-year, $1.5 million, contract.[17] Clayton Kershaw agreed to return to the Dodgers, signing a one-year $15 million contract on December 5.[18] On December 14, the Dodgers traded minor league pitcher Jeff Belge to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for pitcher J. P. Feyereisen.[19] On December 15, they acquired infielder Yonny Hernández from the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations.[20] On December 16, they finalized a one-year, $13 million, contract with pitcher Noah Syndergaard.[21] On December 29, they signed designated hitter J. D. Martinez to a one-year, $10 million, contract.[16] On January 11, they acquired infielder Miguel Rojas from the Miami Marlins in exchange for Jacob Amaya.[22] On February 16, the Dodgers added three more players to the roster on one-year deals, outfielder David Peralta and pitchers Alex Reyes and Jimmy Nelson.[23]

13 members of the Dodgers organization were selected to national team rosters for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Mookie Betts, Will Smith, Clayton Kershaw and third base coach Dino Ebel were part of the US Team; Freddie Freeman was chosen to play for the Canadian team; Julio Urías and Austin Barnes for Team Mexico; Miguel Rojas for Venezuela, Trayce Thompson for Great Britain, Adam Kolarek for Israel, and minor leaguers José Ramos (for Panama) and Liam Doolan (for Australia).[42] Kershaw wound up not being able to participate.[43]

The Dodgers began their season on March 30 with an 8–2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Julio Urías allowed four hits and two runs in six innings while Will Smith had three hits and four RBI and James Outman had two hits including a homerun.[44] Dustin May pitched seven shutout innings in the next game, but the Diamondbacks won 2–1 thanks to a pinch-hit two-run home run by Kyle Lewis in the eighth.[45] The Dodgers won on April 1, 10–1. Clayton Kershaw struck out nine batters in six innings and Trayce Thompson hit three home runs, including a first inning grand slam, and drove in eight RBI.[46] In the final game of the series, Noah Syndergaard was solid in his Dodger debut, allowing only one run while striking out six in six innings. Smith homered, but the Diamondbacks rallied late and won the game 2–1 when a run scored on an infield hit that was misfielded by Brusdar Graterol in the ninth.[47] The Colorado Rockies came to town next and the Dodgers beat them 13–4 by scoring seven runs in the fifth inning.[48] Urías struck out six in six scoreless innings in his next start and the Dodgers beat the Rockies 5–2.[49]

The Dodgers began their first road trip of the season on April 6, with a four-game trip to Chase Field to play the Diamondbacks. May struck out five in six innings and the Dodgers took the opener 5–2.[50] However, they lost the next game 6–3 as Kershaw allowed back-to-back home runs to lead off the sixth inning.[51] The Diamondbacks won the third game of the series, 12–8.[52] The Diamondbacks took the series with an 11–6 victory in the finale. Michael Grove gave up nine runs in only 3+1⁄3 innings.[53] The Dodgers next traveled to Oracle Park for a series with the San Francisco Giants. Urías struck out eight in six innings while Max Muncy hit two home runs, including a grand slam, in the 9–1 win.[54] However, they managed only three hits the next day in a 5–0 shutout loss.[55] Muncy hit two more home runs in the series finale and Thompson hit another as the Dodgers won 10–5. Muncy's 11 RBI in a three-game series tied for second most in team history behind Frank Howard's 12 in 1962.[56]

They returned home on April 14 to face the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs hit five homeruns, including four off of reliever Andre Jackson in his two innings of work and won 8–2.[57] On Jackie Robinson Day, pinch hitter David Peralta hit a two-run walk off single to win the second game of the series.[58] The Cubs took the last game of the series, winning 3-2.[59] The New York Mets came to Los Angeles for the next series. Freddie Freeman homered twice in the opening game of the series, but the Dodgers pitching struggled and the Mets won 8–6.[60] In the next game, Kershaw struck out nine in seven scoreless innings to pick up his 200th career win as J. D. Martinez homered twice and the Dodgers won 5–0.[61] The Mets won the series with a 5–3 victory in the finale. Brandon Nimmo was 5 for 5 inluding a home run.[62]

The Dodgers began a four-game series at Wrigley Field against the Cubs on April 20. James Outman had two home runs, including the go-ahead grand slam in the ninth as the Dodgers opened the series with a 6–2 win.[63] In the next game, they managed just one hit off of Drew Smyly and the pitching was blasted to a 13–0 blowout lost.[64] The Dodgers took the third game of the series, 9–4, as both Outman and Muncy hit two home runs in the game.[65] Muncy homered again the next day, one of four to do so for the Dodgers as they took the series with a 7–3 win.[66] The Dodgers next began a three-game series at PNC Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Dodgers fell behind early but came back to win the game 8–7 on a three-run homerun by Chris Taylor in the eighth inning.[67] The Pirates took the next game, 8–1[68] and won the series with a 6–2 victory in the finale.[69]

The Dodgers returned home on August 28 to play the St. Louis Cardinals. Jason Heyward drove in two runs on two hits in the next game as the Dodgers won 7–3.[70] The following day, Kershaw allowed only two hits while striking out nine in seven innings and the Dodgers won 1–0.[71] The Dodgers finished April with 6–3 victory over the Cardinals to complete the sweep.[72]

The Philadelphia Phillies came to town next and the Dodgers beat them 13–4 including four home runs.[73] Julio Urías struck out 10 in seven innings in the next game in a 13–1 win.[74] The Dodgers came from behind to win the last game of the series and complete the sweep, 10–6, on a walk-off grand slam home run by Max Muncy, the first Dodger to hit one since Andre Ethier in 2010.[75]

Next on the schedule was a weekend series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Fernando Tatís Jr. homered twice in the opener and the Dodgers pitchers walked 11 in a 5–2 loss.[76] In the next game, Dustin May allowed only three hits in six scoreless innings and a two-run home run by Chris Taylor in the fourth inning was all the Dodgers needed in a 2–1 win.[77] In the final game of the series, the Padres took a 2–0 lead in the first inning which lasted until the Dodgers tied the game in the ninth on a Mookie Betts home run in the ninth and then won the game, 5–2, by scoring three runs in the 10th on a RBI hit by Michael Busch and a two-run home run by James Outman.[78] The Dodgers lost the opening game of a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field, 9–3.[79] Betts led off the next game with a home run and the Dodgers won 6–2.[80] Clayton Kershaw struck out eight in seven innings as they finished off the series with an 8–1 win.[81]

The Dodgers returned home to play the Padres. Back-to-back home runs by Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in the seventh inning gave them a 4–2 win in the opener.[82] In the next game, J. D. Martinez hit a three-run home run in the first inning and Urías pitched seven strong innings as they again won 4–2.[83] The Dodgers finished off a sweep of the Padres with a 4–0 win. Betts hit a two-run home run and Miguel Vargas drove in the other two runs with a hit. Tony Gonsolin struck out six in five scoreless innings.[84] The Dodgers started their next series against the Minnesota Twins on May 15. Max Muncy hit two home runs in the game as the Dodgers took an early 5–2 lead. However the Twins tied things up on a three-run home run by Trevor Larnach in the eighth and the game went into extra innings. The Dodgers eventually won, 9–8, on a bases loaded walk by Trayce Thompson in the 12th inning.[85] The Twins took the next game, 5–1.[86] Dustin May lasted one inning in the series finale, the bullpen took over as the Dodgers took the series from the Twins, 7-3, on a tie-breaking grand slam by James Outman.

Stats in bold are the team leaders.

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; BB = Walks; SO = Strikeouts; SB = Stolen bases; AVG = Batting average; OBP = On-base percentage; SLG = Slugging percentage; OPS = On base + slugging

List does not include position players. Stats in bold are the team leaders.

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts

• On March 30, purchased the contract of OF Jason Heyward from AAA Oklahoma City, placed RHPs Tony Gonsolin, Daniel Hudson, Jimmy Nelson, Ryan Pepiot and Alex Reyes on the 15-day injured list and placed IF Gavin Lux on the 60-day injured list.[90]

• On April 16, placed C Will Smith on the 7-day concussion injured list, transferred RHP Alex Reyes from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list, and signed C Austin Wynns.[91]
• On April 17, recalled LHP Justin Bruihl from AAA Oklahoma City and optioned RHP Andre Jackson to AAA Oklahoma City.[92]
• On April 18, placed OF Mookie Betts on the paternity list, purchased the contract of IF/OF Luke Williams from AAA Oklahoma City and transferred RHP Daniel Hudson from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.[93]
• On April 19, placed IF Miguel Rojas on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring and recalled IF Yonny Hernández from AAA Oklahoma City.[94]
• On April 20, activated OF Mookie Betts from the paternity list, optioned IF Yonny Hernández to AAA Oklahoma City, placed RHP Evan Phillips on the paternity list and recalled RHP Andre Jackson from AAA Oklahoma City.[95]
• On April 21, placed RHP Michael Grove on the 15-day injured list with a strained right groin, purchased the contract of RHP Jake Reed from AAA Oklahoma City and transferred RHP Ryan Pepiot from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.[96]
• On April 22, recalled LHP Victor González from AAA Oklahoma City and designated RHP Jake Reed for assignment.[97]
• On April 25, activated RHP Evan Phillips from the paternity list, placed IF Max Muncy and RHP Brusdar Graterol on the paternity list and recalled IF Michael Busch from AAA Oklahoma City.[98]
• On April 26, activated RHP Tony Gonsolin from the 15-day injured list and optioned RHP Andre Jackson to AAA Oklahoma City.[99]
• On April 28, placed DH J. D. Martinez on the 10-day injured list with lower back tightness, activated C Will Smith from the 7-day concussion list, activated IF Max Muncy and RHP Brusdar Graterol from the paternity list, optioned LHP Justin Bruihl and IF Luke Williams to AAA Oklahoma City.[100][101]

• On May 1, activated IF Miguel Rojas from the 10-day injured list and designed C Austin Wynns for assignment.[102]
• On May 3, purchased the contract of RHP Gavin Stone from AAA Oklahoma City and optioned LHP Alex Vesia to AAA Oklahoma City.[103]
• On May 5, purchased the contract of RHP Wander Suero from AAA Oklahoma City and optioned RHP Gavin Stone to AAA Oklahoma City.[104]
• On May 9, placed LHP Caleb Ferguson on the paternity list and recalled LHP Justin Bruihl from AAA Oklahoma City.[105]
• On May 12, activated DH J. D. Martinez from the 10-day injured list and LHP Caleb Ferguson from the paternity list, optioned IF Michael Busch and RHP Wander Suero to AAA Oklahoma City.[106][107]
• On May 17, optioned LHP Justin Bruihl to AAA Oklahoma City, purchased the contract of RHP Dylan Covey from AAA Oklahoma City and transferred RHP Jimmy Nelson from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.[108]