When Andre Ethier, the longest-tenured player in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, appeared as pinch-hitter in the seventh inning of Game 5 of the World Series, it marked a 50th career game played in the postseason. He then extended the mark by pinch-hitting in Game 7.
The 51 games set a new franchise record, surpassing the mark set by Bill Russell. It was Ethier’s fourth World Series game this year and seventh overall playoff game. He made one pinch-hit appearance in the National League Division Series, twice started during the Championship Series, and has entered off the bench each time in the World Series.
The 35-year-old endured another year in which he missed the first five months of the season because of injury. In 2016, Ethier was sidelined through August due to a spiral fracture suffered in his left tibia during Spring Training.
This season, a herniated disc in his lower back kept Ethier on the disabled list until September. Despite the time missed, he’s joined the Dodgers for the postseason as a left-handed bat off the bench who provides quality at-bats.
Ethier is 4-for-13 with one run scored, one home run, two RBI, two walks and three strikeouts in the playoffs this year. He’s a career .240/.340/.424 batter in the postseason, with six doubles, one triple, five home runs and 10 RBI.
Over 12 seasons with the Dodgers, Ethier is a lifetime .285/.359/.463 hitter, with 303 doubles, 162 home runs and 687 RBI in 1,455 career games. The veteran outfielder is widely believed to be in his final year with the Dodgers.
The team holds a $2.5 million buyout on Ethier’s contract for next season, which otherwise would pay him $17.5 million.
