When factoring in their history in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, the Dodgers franchise has reached the MLB postseason a total of 33 times through the 2019 season. The Dodgers have won 18 National League West titles, 24 pennants and six World Series.
Brooklyn also won championships in 1858, 1864 and 1866 before becoming a professional franchise. Brooklyn additionally was the American Association champion in 1889 and National League champions in 1890, 1899 and 1900, before the formation of the World Series.
Their first appearance in the Major League playoffs was as the Brooklyn Robins, who fell to the Boston Red Sox in five games of the 1916 World Series. Brooklyn lost to the Cleveland Indians in the Fall Classic four years later and didn’t return to the World Series until 1941.
That too came with heartbreak, as they were defeated by the New York Yankees. Brooklyn suffered subsequent defeats to the Yankees in 1947, 1949, 1952 and 1953.
They finally enjoyed the taste of victory against the Yankees in 1955 for the first title in franchise history. Johnny Podres threw complete games in each of his starts (Games 3 and 7) and was named World Series MVP. The Yankees avenged their loss the following year, denying the Dodgers back-to-back titles.
The franchise returned to the World Series in 1963, their seventh year in Los Angeles, matching up with a familiar foe. The Dodgers swept the Yankees and two seasons later defeated the Minnesota Twins to claim a fourth title in franchise history.
L.A. also reached the World Series in 1966, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1981 and 1988, however they only won titles in their last two appearances.
Kirk Gibson’s walk-off home run and the Dodgers’ eventual World Series win against the Oakland Athletics in 1988 hovered over the franchise until 2017. Then with what was an L.A. record 104 wins, the Dodgers stormed their way back to the World Series.
But in a matchup that has since been marred by a sign-stealing scandal, they fell short to the Houston Astros in seven games. The Dodgers lost to the Red Sox in the 2018 World Series, and despite a franchise-best 106 wins in 2019, were eliminated by the Washington Nationals in the NL Division Series.
