Dodgers: Five hitters that have owned them since 2010

Hitters That Have Owned the Dodgers Since 2010 – Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

If I sat here and asked you to name the best hitters in baseball over the last decade, you would undoubtedly start that list with Mike Trout. Dodgers fans may even be able to identify the number two hitter (in terms of fWAR) off the top of their head, picking division rival Buster Posey. But would you know the third?

Joey Votto has quietly been one of the most consistent hitters in the game since breaking in with the Cincinnati Reds in 2007. After becoming a full-time regular in 2008, Votto has been worth more than 3.5 wins above replacement in all but two seasons (including 2019). He’s done that through a steadily providing exceptional power and control of the strike zone, with a nearly 1:1 BB: K ratio over his career.

But against the Dodgers, he’s been something else altogether.

No other hitter has a better wRC+ or wOBA against Los Angeles since 2010 than Votto’s mark of 161 and .414 respectively. Likewise, he ranks 1st in batting average (.341), 1st in BABIP (.391), 1st in slugging (.561), 4th in ISO (.240), and 7th in hard-hit rate (38.0%).

Of the teams Votto has faced in his career and accrued more than 100 at-bats, only six teams have given up a higher career OPS against Votto. In other words, Votto loves to see the Dodgers on his schedule. Meanwhile, the Dodgers will be happy to not have him on theirs in 2020.