San Diego Padres All-Stars: Building the Best Padres All-Time Lineup
Those roots run deep, harkening back to the Brooklyn days. From Jackie's impact on the history of the game to today's star-laden lineup, it will always be time for Dodger baseball. Manager: Tommy Lasorda
Lasorda, who pitched two seasons for the Dodgers (1954-55), was the franchise's third base coach from 1973-76 before becoming its manager near the end of the 1976 season, and he certainly made the most of that promotion. Los Angeles won back-to-back National League pennants with Lasorda as its manager in 1977 and 1978 and later won the 1981 and 1988 World Series. Under Lasorda, the Dodgers went a combined 1,599-1,439 from 1976-1996. His 1,599 managerial wins rank second in Dodgers history. Starting pitcher: Sandy Koufax
Koufax pitched just 12 seasons, entirely with the Dodgers (1955-66), but in those 12 seasons, he was one of the best pitchers to ever take the hill. After seven quality seasons to begin with, Koufax led the NL in ERA in each of his final five seasons, WHIP in four of his last five, both innings pitched and complete games in each of his last two and strikeouts in four of his last six. The southpaw was dominant, pitching deep into games, surrendering minimal baserunners and striking out batters with frequency. Koufax, who was part of three Dodgers' championship teams (1959, 1963 and 1965), is third in franchise history with 40 shutouts, fourth with both 2,396 strikeouts and a 53.1 WAR and sixth with 165 wins. Furthermore, the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner and three-time pitching Triple Crown winner posted an exceptional 0.95 career postseason ERA across eight appearances/seven starts and won both the 1963 and 1965 World Series MVP awards. Reliever/closer: Kenley Jansen
Jansen was one of the elite closers in the game for the Dodgers, with whom he played the first 12 seasons of his career (2010-21). The 6-foot-5 right-hander was a power reliever who shut down the final inning of play for the Dodgers over a decade-plus, recording strikeouts at a high rate and doing so with his elongated pitching motion. Jansen, a three-time All-Star with the Dodgers who was part of their 2020 World Series title, is far and away first in Dodgers history with 350 saves and third with a 2.37 ERA. Catcher: Roy Campanella
After eight seasons playing in the Negro Leagues, primarily with the Baltimore Elite Giants, Campanella joined the Dodgers organization in 1946, reaching the big leagues in 1948, where he made his presence felt. Campanella won three NL MVP awards, earned eight All-Star nods over his 10 seasons with the Dodgers (1948-57) and averaged 29 home runs and 97 RBIs per season from 1949-55. The 5-foot-9 catcher had potent power from the right side, highlighted by a 1953 campaign that saw him total a career-high 41 home runs and an NL-high 142 RBIs, while posting a .312/.395/.611 slash line. Campanella, who was part of the Dodgers' 1955 championship team, is fourth in franchise history with 242 home runs, eighth with 856 RBIs and 10th with a 35.7 WAR. 1B: Gil Hodges
Hodges played one game for the Dodgers in 1943, then spent two years in the military, returned to play full-time in 1947 and went on a tear. A three-time Gold Glover and eight-time All-Star across his 16 seasons with the franchise (1943 and 1947-61), Hodges was a grim reaper in the Dodgers' order, possessing elite power from the right side and earning three Gold Gloves at first base while he was at it. Hodges, who was a featured aspect of the Dodgers' 1955 and 1959 World Series teams, is second in franchise history with both 361 home runs and 1,254 RBIs, third with 3,357 total bases, fifth with 1,088 runs scored, seventh with a 43.3 WAR and ninth with 1,884 hits. 2B: Jackie Robinson
Robinson, who served in the U.S. Army, is one of the most important figures in MLB history, as the middle infielder was the first Black American to appear in an MLB game, doing so for the Dodgers in 1947. The future Hall of Famer was a balanced hitter who had a good eye in the batter's box, hit for both contact and slug and was an issue for opposing pitching staffs on the basepaths. Robinson, who was part of the Dodgers' 1955 World Series team and stole home in Game 1 of the series, won the 1949 NL batting title, led the NL in WAR in three seasons and stolen bases twice, while earning seven All-Star nods. Moreover, Robinson won the 1949 NL MVP Award in a season that saw him log 203 hits and 124 RBIs. Robinson, a six-time All-Star with the franchise, is third in Dodgers history with a 61.8 WAR, fourth with a .409 on-base percentage, sixth with 740 walks, seventh with 947 runs scored and 10th with an .883 OPS. 3B: Ron Cey
Cey spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Dodgers (1971-82) and became one of the faces of the 1970s for the franchise. Earning each of his six All-Star honors with the Dodgers, Cey was one of the best third basemen of his generation and a steady source of offense. In his penultimate season with the franchise, Cey helped the Dodgers win the 1981 World Series, which saw him win MVP honors in the series while totaling nine RBIs and a .316/.422/.421 slash line throughout the entire postseason. Cey is fifth in Dodgers history with both 228 home runs and 765 walks, sixth with a 47.6 WAR and 10th with 842 RBIs. SS: Pee Wee Reese
Reese played his entire career with the Dodgers (1940-42 and 1946-58), with whom he was one of the greatest players to ever put on the uniform. After a 6.2 WAR season in 1942 that saw him earn an All-Star nod, Reese served three years in the military and then returned to the field in a big way, putting together nine consecutive All-Star seasons, which saw him get on base via both contact hitting and laying off pitches, swipe bags and drive in a plausible number of runs. Part of the 1955 World Series championship team, Reese hit .296 in the 1955 postseason. Reese is first in Dodgers history with 1,338 runs scored, 1,210 walks and a 68.5 WAR, second with 2,170 hits, fifth with 3,038 total bases, seventh with 885 RBIs and 10th with 232 stolen bases. OF: Duke Snider
Duke Snider was bad news. The overall eight-time All-Star was electric from the right side of the plate for the Dodgers, with whom he played from 1947-62. Snider cranked 40-plus home runs in five consecutive seasons (1953-57), while leading the NL in runs scored three times and slugging percentage twice. In the team's 1955 World Series victory, Snider totaled four home runs and seven RBIs, while posting a .320/.370/.840 slash line. Snider is first in Dodgers history with both 389 home runs and 1,271 RBIs, second with both 3,669 total bases and a 65.4 WAR, third with 1,199 runs scored and fourth with 1,995 hits, a .553 slugging percentage and 893 walks. OF: Willie Davis
Davis had some power, but the outfielder primarily did damage with his speed. Spending the first 14 seasons of his career with the Dodgers (1960-73), Davis was a high-level, contact hitter who legged out extra-base hits, stole bags and hit for a high average. A three-time Gold Glover and two-time All-Star, Davis, who led the NL in triples twice, was part of the Dodgers' 1963 and 1965 title teams. Davis is second in Dodgers history with 110 triples, third with both 2,091 hits and 335 stolen bases, fifth with a 54.7 WAR and sixth with 1,004 runs scored. OF: Carl Furillo
Like many players in the 1940s, including some of his teammates, Furillo served in the military. And when the outfielder became a full-time member of the Dodgers in 1946, he quickly became an impact player. A future two-time All-Star, Furillo was a well-versed hitter who both hit for contact and was among the most productive power hitters in the sport. Furillo, who won the 1953 batting title, was part of the Dodgers' 1955 and 1959 championship teams. Spending his entire career with the Dodgers (1946-60), Furillo is fourth in franchise history with 1,058 RBIs, fifth with 324 doubles, seventh with 1,910 hits, eighth with 895 runs scored and ninth with 192 home runs. DH: Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani was a two-way superstar, both hitting and pitching, throughout his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels (2018-23). Then, he made the arduous drive north from Angel Stadium to Dodger Stadium and helped the Dodgers win the World Series in his first season with the franchise (2024). Ohtani didn't pitch in 2024 due to a torn UCL. Instead, he had one of the best offensive seasons in MLB history. Becoming the first 50-50 player (50 home runs and 50 stolen bases) in MLB history, Ohtani totaled an NL-high with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, 134 runs scored and a 9.2 WAR, while stealing 59 bases and posting a .310/.390/.646 slash line. His home run total and WAR were each single-season Dodger records. Ohtani has overwhelming power from the left side, moves as well as any 6-foot-3 player in recent memory and recently began pitching again. The three-time Silver Slugger is on his way to being the next Dodger great.
Honorable Mentions: Walter Alston (manager)
Clayton Kershaw (starting pitcher)
Fernando Valenzuela (starting pitcher)
Eric Gagne (reliever/closer)
Eric Karros (1B)
Justin Turner (3B)
Adrian Beltre (3B)
Jim Gilliam (3B)
Mookie Betts (OF)
Matt Kemp (OF)
Zack Wheat (DH)
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Los Angeles Times
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- Los Angeles Times
The Sports Report: Concerned about Matthew Stafford's back? Sean McVay says he isn't
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Get informed and entertained about everything Bruin sports, from takeaways on the latest big game to recruiting buzz. We'll also remember some of the greatest athletes, coaches and games that made UCLA sports so special. The newsletter will be interactive, including polls and questions about UCLA sports old and new. It'll also cover the school's tradition-rich Olympic sports, highlighting one each week. The newsletter will be emailed to you every Monday morning. You can sign up for it here. And you can't beat the price: Free! From Jack Harris: On a day the Dodgers were facing one of their former longtime starters, Dustin May faced the prospect of potentially soon having the same distinction. In the last week, trade rumors have started to swirl around May, the oft-injured right-hander who is finally healthy this season — but also having an up-and-down campaign in his final year before free agency. 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The result: An at-times impressive, but ultimately disappointing, effort in which May yielded four runs over five innings in the Dodgers' 4-3 loss against the Red Sox, largely cruising through the first four innings before getting ambushed in a three-run fifth. Continue reading here Dodgers box score MLB scores MLB standings Mike Trout hit a two-run homer in a four-run fifth inning to reach 1,000 career RBIs, and the Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 4-1 on Sunday. Kyle Hendricks (6-7) gave up one run on two hits over six-plus innings and Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 18th save as the Angels earned a split of the four-game series. Cal Raleigh hit his major league-leading 41st home run for the Mariners. Continue reading here Angels box score MLB scores MLB standings From Austin Knoblauch: Rashawn Slater, a former first-round draft pick and one of the veteran leaders on the Chargers' offensive line, is staying in L.A. for the long haul. 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Continue reading here 1913 — The United States wins its first Davis Cup since 1902 by beating Britain three matches to two. 1928 — The Summer Olympics open in Amsterdam and the Olympic flame is lit for the first time. 1929 — The Chicago Cardinals become the first NFL team to train out of state, holding camp in Michigan. 1972 — The American Basketball Association announces that San Diego will receive a franchise and the NBA's Buffalo Braves relocate to San Diego and are renamed the San Diego Clippers. 1972 — The Dallas Cowboys beat the College All-Stars in Chicago 20-7. 1984 — The Summer Olympics open in Los Angeles with a record 140 nations competing. The Soviet Union and 13 Communist allies, including Cuba and East Germany, boycott the games. 1987 — Laura Davies shoots a 1-under 71 to defeat Ayako Okamoto and JoAnne Carner in an 18-hole playoff to win the U.S. Women's Open. 1987 — Angel Cordero Jr. becomes the fourth U.S. jockey to win 6,000 races when he rides Lost Kitty to victory at Monmouth Park, N.J. 1992 — American Mike Barrowman sets a world record in winning the 200-meter breaststroke, and Russian Evgueni Sadovyi becomes the Summer Olympics' first triple gold medalist, also smashing a world record in the men's 400-meter freestyle. 2000 — Blaine Wilson, America's pre-eminent gymnast, wins his fifth straight championship in St. Louis. He becomes the first gymnast to win five straight national titles since George Wheeler did it from 1937-41. 2009 — Germany's Paul Biedermann hands Michael Phelps his first major individual loss in four years, setting a world record in the 200-meter freestyle at the world championships in Rome. Phelps, a body length behind, loses for the first time in a major international meet since Ian Crocker beat him in the 100 butterfly final at the 2005 worlds. 2011 — Ryan Lochte celebrates the first world record set since high-tech bodysuits were banned 1 1/2 years ago. Lochte edges Michael Phelps in 200-meter individual medley at the world championships at Shanghai. 2013 — Brek Shea scores less than a minute after entering the game as a second-half substitute, giving the United States a 1-0 victory over Panama in the Gold Cup final. It's the fifth Gold Cup title for the Americans but their first since 2007. 2016 — Mirim Lee shoots a 10-under 62 to match the Women's British Open record and take a three-stroke lead in the major championship at tree-lined Woburn (England) Golf Club. 2016 — Stephan Jaeger shoots a 12-under 58 in the Tour's Ellie Mae Classic in Hayward, Calif., for the lowest score in major tour play. The German finishes with a 10-foot birdie putt. 2019 — 22-year-old Egan Bernal becomes the first Colombian and Latin American cyclist to win the Tour de France. 1931 — Bob Fothergill of Chicago hit a home run and a triple in an 11-run eighth inning. The White Sox set an American League record with 12 hits in the inning and beat the New York Yankees 14-12. 1940 — King Kong Keller hit three homers to give the New York Yankees a 10-9 win over Chicago in the first game of a doubleheader split. 1951 — Clyde Vollmer of Boston hit a grand slam in the 16th inning, the latest ever hit in a major league game. The Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 8-4. 1971 — Sixteen-time Gold Glove winner Brooks Robinson committed three errors in the sixth inning against the Oakland A's. Frank Robinson's three-run homer in the ninth won the game for the Orioles. 1976 — John Odom (five innings) and Francisco Barrios (four innings) combined on a no-hitter, and the Chicago White Sox defeated Oakland 2-1. 1983 — AL President Lee McPhail ruled that George Brett's 'pine tar' home run against New York on July 24 should count. The umpires had disallowed the homer because the pine tar on Brett's bat exceeded the 18-inch limit. The rest of the game was played Aug. 18 with the Kansas City Royals beating the Yankees, 5-4. 1989 — Atlanta's Dale Murphy tied two major league records by hitting two homers and driving in six runs in the sixth inning in the Braves' 10-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants. Murphy's two home runs equaled the record shared by 13 others and the six runs batted in matched a record shared by nine players. 1990 — Shawon Dunston tied a major league record with three triples and led the Chicago Cubs to a 10-7 win over the Montreal Expos. 1990 — Cal Ripken's errorless streak ends at 95 consecutive games, as Baltimore loses to Kansas City, 10 - 9. The streak is a new major-league record for a shortstop, eclipsing Kevin Elster's 89-game mark. 1991 — Dennis Martinez pitched a perfect game for the Montreal Expos, who topped the Dodgers 2-0 at Dodger Stadium. 1993 — Ken Griffey Jr. tied a major league record by homering in his eighth consecutive game, but it wasn't enough for the Seattle Mariners in a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins. 1994 — On the night the baseball players set an Aug. 12 strike date, Kenny Rogers of the Texas Rangers pitched a perfect game for a 4-0 victory over the Angels. 2004 — Troy Percival recorded his 300th save after John Lackey allowed three hits over 8 1-3 innings to help the Angels beat Texas 2-0. 2006 — Houston rookie Luke Scott hit for the cycle and drove in five runs, but the Astros lost to Arizona 8-7. 2018 — Rookie Francisco Arcia had a homer and six RBIs, giving him a major league-record 10 RBIs in two career games, and the Angels rolled past Seattle 11-5. 2021 — In the first Olympic baseball game in thirteen years, Japan rallies to defeat the Dominican Republic 4-3. Compiled by the Associated Press That concludes today's newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you'd like to see, email me at To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Rosenthal: In looking to add a top reliever at the deadline, contenders face a conundrum
Here's the conundrum for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and all the other contenders with at least a passing interest in adding a top reliever: Do you overpay for an elite, controllable late-inning weapon such as the Athletics' Mason Miller, Cleveland Guardians' Emmanuel Clase or Minnesota Twins' Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax? Advertisement Or, for maybe 30 percent of the price, do you acquire the St. Louis Cardinals' Ryan Helsley as a rental? Many teams would prefer Helsley, who is not quite what he was last season when he won the Trevor Hoffman Award as the best reliever in the National League, but is still pretty darned good. Relievers are so volatile, so prone to fluctuate from season to season, even month to month, additional years of club control matter less than they do with more stable performers. The teams peddling those pitchers, of course, see it differently, valuing them as long-term assets in trade discussions and asking for big returns. The deadline is Thursday at 6 p.m. ET. And the game of chicken, particularly in the bullpen market, is on. Will the Dodgers, who placed five prospects in Keith Law's latest top 60, leverage their deep farm system for a Clase or Duran when they spent more than $100 million on their 'pen last offseason precisely to avoid making an uncomfortable trade? Will the Blue Jays take the plunge to address their most glaring need in what is shaping up to be a special season? How about the Detroit Tigers, whose bullpen ranks 28th in strikeout rate? The New York Yankees, who face the potential losses of Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in free agency? The Philadelphia Phillies, who still need help after signing free agent David Robertson? The only other potential free-agent closers known to be available are the San Diego Padres' Robert Suarez, who leads the majors in saves and is expected to decline a pair of $8 million options at the end of the season; the Atlanta Braves' Raisel Iglesias, whose results are poor even though his strikeout and walk rates are similar to what they were the past two years; and the Washington Nationals' Kyle Finnegan, who has a declining strikeout rate and 4.50 ERA. Perhaps the Los Angeles Angels will trade Kenley Jansen if owner Arte Moreno figures out his team isn't winning the World Series. And perhaps some team will jump for the Baltimore Orioles' Seranthony Domínguez, who is more of a setup type. Helsley and Suarez are probably the only short-term, difference-making closers. Predictably, teams seeking late-inning help are complaining that the prices for the long-term options are exorbitant. What else would they be with the deadline still days away? Where this all gets interesting is in the final 24 to 48 hours, when teams realize they might get shut out. The sellers prey on the buyers' panic. And even some buyers who pride themselves on discipline and efficiency turn somewhat irrational. The controllable options, at least, are plentiful. Miller is under club control for four additional seasons through arbitration. Clase is under contract for three more. Duran and Jax have two years of arbitration eligibility remaining, Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar and setup man Dennis Santana one. Not all of those relievers will change teams. The perception within the industry is that the Guardians and Twins will not move one or more of their top relievers unless they win the deal. As The Athletic's Andy McCullough writes, the Guardians can be such a difficult trade partner; some other front offices refer to them as 'The Cleveland Grind Machine.' The Twins, Pirates and Rockies are not exactly known for their deal-making prowess. Advertisement That said, those clubs have every right to set high prices on their relievers, anticipating a buyer or two might turn desperate. The Phillies' Dave Dombrowski might be so inclined. Even the Dodgers' Andrew Friedman, who hates overpaying at the deadline, might need to go against his instincts. His position-player roster is the oldest in the majors. The Dodgers' bullpen, beset by injuries and underperformance, entered Sunday having allowed the seventh-highest OPS in the majors, and the highest of any contender. The return of Blake Treinen will help. Tanner Scott and Michael Kopech are expected back in August, Brusdar Graterol possibly in September. And with the return of left-hander Blake Snell looming, the Dodgers also hold the option of moving one of their current starters, most likely Dustin May, to the bullpen. All that, of course, is subject to change, and likely will change for a team that struggles to keep its pitchers healthy. The Dodgers succeeded in the past by acquiring lesser-known relievers such as Adam Kolarek, Chris Martin and Ryan Brasier during the season, then getting the most out of them. But they also were burned in some of those deals — Yordan Alvarez for Josh Fields, Oneil Cruz for Tony Watson and arguably, even Zach McKinstry for Martin. The Blue Jays are another team fully aware that with relievers, it's buyer beware. During the offseason, they signed free agent Jeff Hoffman to a three-year, $33 million contract and Yimi Garcia to a two-year, $15 million deal. Hoffman has a 4.78 ERA and has allowed 10 homers, one more than in his two previous seasons combined. Garcia has had three injuries this season, the latest being ulnar nerve symptoms in his right elbow. Even with Hoffman's inconsistency and Garcia's continuing absence, the Blue Jays own the best record in the majors. They probably need to add two relievers to maximize their chances of winning their first World Series since 1993 — an outcome that team president Mark Shapiro, in the last year of his contract, surely desires. Advertisement Just as there is risk in acquiring relievers, there also is risk in playing it too safe. The Boston Red Sox did just that at last year's deadline, and their trades for two journeymen, Luis Garcia and Lucas Sims, proved detrimental. So, if the Dodgers, Blue Jays or Tigers get too cute, that also could bite them. When a deadline trade for a reliever works, the price is almost incidental. The Chicago Cubs do not regret giving up Gleyber Torres as part of a package for Aroldis Chapman in 2016. Nor do the Texas Rangers regret giving up Cole Ragans for Chapman in 2023. Those were steep costs for a World Series title, and both times Chapman was a rental. The controllable relievers who are currently available are not as accomplished as Chapman, but one could provide the same type of impact this season and possibly beyond. It's a tempting proposition. Particularly when there are only so many quality rentals to go around. (Top photo of Jhoan Duran: Matt Krohn / Getty Images)
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
A year after they were (to a degree) deadline sellers, the Blue Jays are soaring
Even when they traded away a handful of established players at last year's deadline, the Toronto Blue Jays clearly believed a rebound was possible. A year later, they have a comfortable lead atop the AL East. It's hard to say that last year's deadline jump-started Toronto's turnaround, but the important thing is the Blue Jays didn't give up on their core despite being on their way to a last-place finish in 2024. They dealt players like Yusei Kikuchi and Justin Turner — but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette remained with Toronto. Keeping those two was something of a risk given that both could become free agents after this season. Bichette still can, but the Blue Jays were able to sign Guerrero to a $500-million, 14-year contract in April. Guerrero, Bichette and George Springer are part of a Toronto team that ranks third in the American League in OPS while leading the majors in batting average and on-base percentage. Even after a lopsided loss to Detroit on Sunday, the Blue Jays have a 5 1/2-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees — although Toronto also has the second-worst run differential in the division. The Blue Jays have the best record in baseball by a half-game over the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers. Toronto has won 21 of its last 27 games, and included in that stretch is a 6-1 record against the Yankees. The Blue Jays are 7-3 against New York, meaning they have clinched that season series should it become a tiebreaker. New York is just 11-18 against the AL East. Trivia time The Blue Jays last made the World Series in 1993. Who are the only other American League teams with longer droughts since their most recent pennants? Tumbling Tigers Detroit's 10-4 win over Toronto on Sunday snapped a six-game skid for the Tigers — and that does not do justice to how poorly they were playing. Detroit had lost 12 of 13, being outscored 89-33 in the process. Ace Tarik Skubal can only do so much. The lone win during that stretch came in one of his starts — a 2-1 victory over Texas on July 20. When he took the mound six days later against Toronto, he threw six scoreless innings, only to have the Tigers go on to lose 6-1. Before Detroit fans panic too much, the Tigers had built up such a big lead that they still have an eight-game advantage over second-place Cleveland in the AL Central after Sunday's victory. FanGraphs gives them a 95.9% chance to make the playoffs. But their chances of earning a first-round bye — by having one of the top two records among AL division winners — is down to 52.6%. Line of the week More like line of the decade. Or perhaps the century. A's rookie Nick Kurtz went 6 for 6 with four home runs , eight RBIs and six runs in a 15-3 rout of Houston on Friday night. Kurtz became the 20th player in major league history — and first rookie — with a four-homer game. He also doubled and singled, so he tied the single-game record for total bases with 19. Comeback of the week Minnesota had a one-run lead at Los Angeles in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday — and Griffin Jax retired the first two batters for the Dodgers. Then it all unraveled for the Twins. Mookie Betts singled, Shohei Ohtani was walked intentionally, Esteury Ruiz drew another walk and then Freddie Freeman singled home two runs for a 4-3 win. The Twins had a win probability of 95.6% after the second out, according to Baseball Savant . Trivia answer The Orioles (1983), Athletics (1990), Twins (1991) and Mariners (never). ___ AP MLB:
