How Each Player on the Dodgers' World Series Roster Joined the Team
The 2017 Dodgers won't soon be forgotten, as they'll live in Los Angeles lore as the team that finally reached the World Series 27 years after the Dodgers' last appearance.
But this isn't just a team that got hot at the right time. The Dodgers had the best record in the majors this year (104-58) despite losing 16 of 17 games in a disastrous two-week stretch late in the season. How is that possible? The Dodgers had an absolutely scorching summer and were once an astonishing 91-36; at that point, it appeared this club could break the 2001 Mariners' regular-season record of 116 wins.
This team was able to ride out a late-season losing streak and an extended Clayton Kershaw absence because of a balanced roster that includes a deep starting pitching rotation, a lights-out bullpen, exciting young players and cagey veterans. How did the Dodgers' front-office team put together this terrific ensemble? Here's a player-by-player breakdown of how each member of the Dodgers' World Series roster joined the team.
Starting Pitchers
Clayton Kershaw - The three-time Cy Young winner and 2014 MVP was selected 7th overall by the Dodgers in the 2006 draft. He made his major-league debut as a 20-year-old in 2008.
Rich Hill - The 37-year old lefty was acquired from the Oakland A's in a trade before the 2016 deadline. The Dodgers received Hill and Josh Reddick—now the starting right fielder for the Astros—in exchange for minor league pitchers Grant Holmes, Jharel Cotton and Frankie Montas.
Yu Darvish - Darvish was acquired from the Rangers before the trade deadline in one of this seasons' biggest deals. In exchange for the Japanese righty, the Dodgers sent Texas three propsects: Willie Calhoun, A.J. Alexy and Brendon Davis.
Alex Wood - The Braves selected Wood in the second round of the 2012 draft before trading him to the Dodgers in 2015 as part of a three-team deal that involved 13 players. The Dodgers received Wood, Jim Johnson, Bronson Arroyo, Luis Avilan and minor league infielder Jose Peraza in exchange for Hector Olivera, Paco Rodriguez, minor league pitcher Zach Bird and a compensatory 2016 draft pick.
Bullpen
Tony Cingrani - The Dodgers acquired Cingrani from the Reds before this year's deadline in exchange for Scott Van Slyke and and minor league Hendrik Clementina.
Josh Fields - Fields was acquired from the Dodgers' opponent in the World Series, the Houston Astros, in exchange for Cuban minor league Yordan Alvarez before the 2016 trade deadline.
Kenley Jansen - The Dodgers signed Jansen, who is from Curacao, as a catcher in November 2004. After he struggled to produce at the plate, Jansen made the switch to pitcher in 2009 and has emerged into perhaps the best closer in the majors.
Kenta Maeda - Maeda spent eight years pitching for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan's professional league, where he was twice named the league's best pitcher, before signing an eight-year, $25 million contract with the Dodgers in January 2016.
Brandon McCarthy - McCarthy signed a four-year, $48 million free-agent deal with the Dodgers in December 2014. The 34-year-old veteran has made 182 total regular-season starts across spells with six major league teams.
Brandon Morrow - The Mariners took Morrow with the fifth overall pick in the 2005 draft. He was traded to the Blue Jays in 2009 and spent five years in Toronto before signing with the Padres in 2014. Morrow joined the Dodgers as a free agent in January 2017.
Ross Stripling - Stripling was drafted out of Texas A&M by the Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2012 draft. His major league debut came as a 26-year-old in 2016.
Tony Watson - The left-hander was acquired from the Pirates in a trade before this year's deadline in exchange for minor leaguers Oneil Cruz and Angel German.
Infielders
Austin Barnes - Barnes was drafted in the ninth round of the 2011 draft by the Marlins out of Arizona State. The Marlins traded him to the Dodgers alongside Enrique Hernandez, Chris Hatcher and Andrew Heaney in exchange for Dan Haren, Dee Gordon, Miguel Rojas and cash.
Cody Bellinger - The favorite to win the National League's Rookie of the Year Award this year, Bellinger was selected by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2013 draft. Bellinger didn't make his major league debut until nearly a month into this season, but the 21-year-old first baseman still managed to club 39 homers and drive in 97 runs.
Charlie Culberson - After being released by the Rockies after the 2015 season, the 51st overall pick from the 2007 draft joined the Dodgers in free agency.
Logan Forsythe - The 30-year-old second baseman was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Dodgers in January in exchange for Jose De Leon.
Yasmani Grandal - A first round pick of the Reds in the 2010 draft, Grandal was traded to the Padres in a package for Mat Latos in 2011. In December 2014, the Padres dealt Grandal to the Dodgers along with Zach Eflin and Joe Wieland in exchange for Matt Kemp, Tim Federowicz and cash. Grandal started 129 games at catcher for Los Angeles this year but has been replaced in the starting lineup by Barnes.
Corey Seager - The sweet-swinging shortstop was selected 18th overall by the Dodgers in the 2012 draft. Seager made his major league debut in 2015 as a 21-year-old before winning NL Rookie of the Year honors last year.
Justin Turner - In a move that continues to age poorly, the Mets actually released Turner in December 2013. He signed with the Dodgers two months later and has blossomed into one of the team's best hitters. Turner was named to his first All-Star Game this year as a 32-year-old.
Chase Utley - The six-time All-Star second baseman spent 12 seasons with the Phillies before he was traded to the Dodgers before the 2016 deadline in exchange for minor leaguers John Richy and Darnell Sweeney.
Outfielders
Andre Ethier - The longest-tenured Dodger joined the team in December 2005, when the A's traded him to Los Angeles in exchange for Milton Bradley and Antonio Perez.
Enrnique Hernandez - Hernandez, who secured his place in Dodgers history with a three-homer performance to help the Dodgers clinch in Game 5 of the NLCS, was acquired in the same deal as Austin Barnes. In that deal, Miami sent Barnes, Hernandez, Chris Hatcher and Andrew Heaney to L.A. in exchange for Dan Haren, Dee Gordon, Miguel Rojas and cash.
Joc Pederson - The 25-year-old power-hitting center fielder was selected by the Dodgers in the 11th round of the 2010 draft. Pederson made his major league debut in 2014 and was named an All-Star in his rookie season in 2015.
Yasiel Puig - Puig defected from Cuba to the United States, and the story of his journey is absolutely remarkable and well worth your time. After he reached the U.S., Puig was signed by the Dodgers as a free agent in July 2012. He made his major league debut as a 22-year-old in 2013 and took the league by storm with his infectious smile, free-swinging style and cannon of an arm.
Chris Taylor - The Mariners traded Taylor to the Dodgers in June 2016 in exchange for Zach Lee, who was released by the Rockies this year and is out of baseball.
In summation, just five of the 25 players on the Dodgers' World Series roster was drafted by the club. Thirteen players were acquired via trade, four were signed in traditional free agency and three were signed as international free agents.
