Dodgers: The 18 Best Individual Seasons in Franchise History
- Matt Kemp (2011)
The Numbers: .324/.399/.586 39 HR 126 RBI 40 SB 8.2 WAR 172 OPS+
One of 2 Dodgers still on this list, (for now) Matt Kemp produced one of the more memorable seasons in Dodger history in 2011. He hit over .320, with an OPS of nearly 1.000, and that wasn’t even the best part. Kemp came up a single homer shy of joining the 40/40 club. He should have won the MVP, but it’s probably time to let that ol’ thing go.
- Zack Wheat (1924)
The Numbers: .375/.428/.549 14 HR 97 RBI
Not exactly a household name anymore, but Wheat produced one of the most impressive Triple slash lines in Dodger history in 1924. “Buck” saved the best for the end of his career, as his age 35-37 seasons saw him hit at least .359 each year.
- Tommy Davis (1962)
The Numbers .346/.374/.535 27 HR 153 RBI 18 SB
Tommy Davis had two of the best seasons a Dodger has ever had back to back. His masterpiece was 1962, in which he lead the league in hits, batting average, and RBI’s. However, 1963 would prove perhaps a bit more rewarding, as 1962’s end of summer heartbreak was replaced by a sweep of Mantle, Maris, and the 1963 Yankees in the World Series.
- Don Drysdale (1968)
The Numbers: W/L 14-12 2.15 ERA 239 IP 155 K 2.54 FIP 1.075 WHIP
Although he wasn’t quite as venomous as he was earlier in his career, Don still found a way to hit his fair share of batters. He made history in 1968 with his famous 58.2 consecutive scoreless innings streak. One could make a good argument for his 1964 campaign as being slightly better statistically, but I’ll take one with all-time pitching record that would stand for two decades.
- Fernando Valenzuela (1981)
The Numbers: W/L 13-7 2.48 ERA 192.1 IP 180 K 2.44 FIP 1.045 WHIP
The numbers may not jump out and scream “legendary” in this shortened season, but we all know the birth of “Fernandomania” is one of the most treasured chapters in Dodger history. After two recent failed attempts at beating the Yankees in the World Series, The Dodgers would turn to a 20-year-old rookie from Mexico to lead the way. With an electric flurry of fan support behind him, Fernandomania proved far too potent to stop, and the Dodgers would top the Yanks in the 1981 World Series.