While the Los Angeles Dodgers have made a strong case to be the latest MLB dynasty by winning back-to-back World Series titles and three in the last six years, their franchise history and success since 2000 is a mixed bag.
Up until the current era, there were middling levels of postseason accomplishments since the turn of the century. But there have also been impressive individual performances and players who carved out a special place in the Dodgers’ franchise history.
The DodgerBlue.com staff has ranked the best Dodgers players in the last 25 years. Among various factors considered, the all-time Dodgers list was compiled by evaluating a player’s contributions and significance to the franchise.
Dodgers quarter-century all-time team
No. 15: Andre Ethier
A second-round draft pick in 2003, Ethier found his way to the Dodgers via trade a mere two years later. He was acquired from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Milton Bradley and Antonio Perez.
Ethier soon emerged as a top-100 prospect in all of baseball before his breakout rookie season in 2006. In 126 games that year, he hit .308/.365/.477 with 38 extra-base hits en route to finishing fifth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.
By the late 2000s, Ethier had firmly entrenched himself into the Dodgers’ long-term plans. He emerged as one of the team’s most productive bats and played a pivotal role in helping the club reach back-to-back NL Championship Series from 2008-2009.
The 2009 season, in particular, was one to remember for Ethier in terms of late-game heroics. Having earned the nickname “Captain Clutch,” he finished the year with six walk-off hits, including four home runs.
Ethier wrapped up the decade with his first Silver Slugger Award and placed sixth in NL MVP voting. He rode that momentum into 2010 as the then-28-year-old was selected to his first All-Star Game.
The 2011 season brought further accolades for Ethier, as he participated in his second consecutive Midseason Classic and won his first career Gold Glove Award.
After slugging 11 home runs that year, Ethier joined Jackie Robinson as the only Dodgers players to start their career with at least 10 long balls over their first six seasons.
Ethier also set another Dodgers record by hitting at least 30 doubles in seven consecutive seasons (2007-2013).
While injuries limited Ethier to just 38 regular season games over the final two seasons of his career, he still found a way to make the Dodgers’ postseason rosters.
Ethier recorded two hits in six at-bats across two series, including a home run against the Chicago Cubs during the 2016 NLCS. The following year saw Ethier hit his 11th and final home run in the playoffs against the same Cubs team.
As the Dodgers advanced to their first World Series in nearly three decades, Ethier played in the Fall Classic for the first time in his career.
He wound up hitting .400/.500/.400 across six plate appearances (five games) and accounted for the Dodgers’ lone run in the deciding Game 7 — a pinch-hit RBI single in the sixth inning, which marked the final at-bat of Ethier’s career.
In parts of 12 seasons with the Dodgers, Ethier compiled a .285/.359/.463 slash line across 5,425 plate appearances (1,455 games) with 303 doubles, 34 triples, 162 home runs and 687 RBI.
No. 16: Eric Gagné
No. 17: Shawn Green
No. 18: Manny Ramirez
No. 19: Gary Sheffield
No. 20: Adrián González
No. 21: Yasiel Puig
No. 22: Chris Taylor
No. 23: Russell Martin
No. 24: Kiké Hernández
No. 25: Miguel Rojas
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