The Dodger decade in offense

Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner (Harry How/Getty Images

by Cary Osborne

The decade began for the Dodgers on a cloudy day in Pittsburgh on April 5, 2010. Rafael Furcal led off on Opening Day 2010 with a fly out. Russell Martin was the first Dodger to reach base — he walked in the first inning — and he was the first Dodger to score a run.

Andre Ethier collected the first hit — a first-inning double. Matt Kemp knocked in the first run — a two-run single in the first inning.

Martin hit the first homer of the 2010s for the Dodgers two days later, also in Pittsburgh.

The decade ended on Oct. 9, 2019, at Dodger Stadium in Game 5 of the National League Division Series.

Kiké Hernández had the last hit, was the last Dodger baserunner, hit the last home run and knocked in the final Dodger run of the decade.

From April 5, 2010 to Oct. 9, 2010, there were big years and big games, milestones and rarities, unforgettable performers and unforgettable performances. … and plenty of home runs.

The Dodgers set the National League record in 2019 with 279 homers.

Here are some of the best of the decade in Dodger offense:

Monster Seasons

Matt Kemp (Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

One Dodger won a home run title in the decade — Matt Kemp in 2011.

Kemp’s 2011 was one of the best offensive seasons in Dodger history. He led the National League with 39 homers and the Majors with 126 RBI. He also led the NL in runs (115), OPS+ (172) and total bases (353) and batted .324/.399/.586/.986. Kemp stole 40 bases.

It is one of four seasons in baseball history of at least 35 homers, 125 RBI, 40 stolen bases, a .300 batting average, and .950 OPS — the others being Jose Canseco (1988), Barry Bonds (1996) and Vladimir Guerrero (2002), according to Baseball Reference.

At the end of the decade, Cody Bellinger made it one more remarkable individual season by a Dodger.

Bellinger blasted 47 home runs (third in franchise history) with 115 RBI, 15 stolen bases, a 169 OPS+, a league-high 351 total bases and a .305/.406/.629/1.035 slash line.

It’s one of 11 seasons all time with at least 45 home runs, 115 RBI, 15 stolen bases, a 165 OPS+ and 1.000 OPS and the only one by a Major Leaguer this decade, according to Baseball Reference.

Dee Gordon (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

In 2014, Dee Gordon became the first Dodger since Davey Lopes in 1976 to lead the NL in stolen bases. Gordon stole 64 bases. (The 2019 Dodgers attempted 67 stolen bases.) Gordon also led the Majors in triples with 12, becoming the first Dodger to lead MLB in triples since Willie Davis in 1970.

Rookie Feats

Bellinger set the NL rookie record in 2017 with 39 home runs, passing a mark tied by Wally Berger (1930) and Frank Robinson (1956). New York Met Pete Alonso eclipsed the record in 2019 and hit 53.

Yasiel Puig before his Major League debut on June 3, 2013. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Yasiel Puig set a Dodger rookie record for most hits in a month when he collected 44 hits in June 2013 — his first month in the big leagues.

Only one Dodger hit a home run in his Major League debut. This one deserves a little drama before the reveal. …

On April 6, 2016, Kenta Maeda hit a homer in his second career plate appearance — a solo shot off Andrew Cashner in San Diego. Maeda also pitched six shutout innings and earned the win. Maeda became the first Dodger pitcher to homer in his debut since Dan Bankhead in 1947.

From June 21-23, 2019, for the first time in Major League history, three different rookies ended a game with a walk-off home run. First, it was Matt Beaty. Next, it was Alex Verdugo. Finally, Will Smith made it three in a row against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium.

More Rarities

There was one Dodger cycle in the decade. Cody Bellinger produced the 10th cycle in Dodger history on July 15, 2017.

Andre Ethier (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Andre Ethier produced the 55th hitting streak of at least 30 games in 2011. Ethier’s 30-game streak was tied for the longest in the Majors in the decade with Freddie Freeman (2016). It was one short of the Dodger record of 31 set by Willie Davis in 1969.

On July 25, 2014, Puig tripled three times, becoming the first Dodger to accomplish the feat. It was the 33rd time that it had happened in big league history, according to Baseball Reference, and one of two times this decade. Minnesota’s Denard Span hit three triples on June 29, 2010.

In 2018, the Dodgers became the first team in NL history with seven players with at least 20 homers — Max Muncy (35), Bellinger (25), Joc Pederson (25), Yasmani Grandal (24), Puig (23), Hernández (21) and Kemp (21).

Monster Games

Corey Seager hit three homers in a game twice this decade. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

There were nine games this decade in which a Dodger hit three home runs in a game:

· A.J. Pollock: Sept. 6, 2019 · Justin Turner: May 7, 2019 · Puig: Sept. 15, 2018 · Corey Seager: June 20, 2017 · Adrián González: Aug. 22, 2016 · Grandal: July 8, 2016 · Seager: June 3, 2016 · González: April 8, 2015 · Juan Uribe: Sept. 9, 2013

Grandal’s three-homer game is also the only five-hit game by a Dodger in the decade. Grandal went 5-for-5 against the Padres. His 14 total bases that day were tied for the most in a game by a Dodger this decade. Seager had 14 total bases when he hit three homers on June 20, 2017.

González’s three-homer game on Aug. 22, 2016, also marked the most RBI by a Dodger in a single game in the decade with eight. Grandal also had eight RBI on May 7, 2015.

The Dodgers tied a franchise record on Opening Day 2019 (March 28) with eight homers in a game. They also hit eight homers on May 23, 2002 (the Shawn Green four-homer game).

The team high for runs in a game during the decade was 21 when the Dodgers beat the Brewers 21–5 on Aug. 2, 2018. Four Dodgers knocked in at least four runs — Bellinger, Puig, Joc Pederson and Brian Dozier.

Statcast Era

The Statcast Era began in 2015 and introduced new measurables.

The longest Dodger homer of the era belongs to Pederson, who hit a ball 477 feet on June 2, 2015, off pitcher Jorge De La Rosa in Colorado.

Hernández hit the hardest ball with an exit velocity of 118.1 MPH on April 23, 2016 vs. Colorado. It resulted in a groundout. There have been 55 balls hit since 2015 with an exit velocity of 118 mph or greater — a combined 37 off the bats of Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge.

The leaders of the decade

Justin Turner (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Home Runs: 1. Kemp — 142 2. Pederson — 123 3. Turner — 112 4. Bellinger — 111

Batting Average (min. 1,500 PA) 1. Turner — .302 2. Seager — .294 3. Kemp — .288

On-Base Percentage (min. 1,500 PA) 1. Turner — .381 2. Bellinger — .368 3. Seager — .362

Slugging Percentage (min. 1,500 PA) 1. Bellinger — .559 2. Turner — .506 3. Kemp — .502

OPS (min. 1,500 PA) 1. Bellinger — .928 2. Turner — .887 3. Seager — .853

Stolen Bases 1. Gordon — 130 2. Kemp — 85 3. Puig — 60

RBI 1. Kemp — 491 2. González — 448 3. Ethier — 385

Hits 1. Kemp — 827 2. Ethier — 796 3. Turner — 764

Games 1. Ethier — 875 2. Kemp — 798 3. Turner — 754

Bellinger (Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Single-season bests Home runs: Bellinger — 47 (2019) RBI: Kemp — 126 (2011) AVG: Kemp — .324 (2011) OBP: Turner — .415 (2017) SLG: Bellinger — .629 (2019) OPS: Bellinger — 1.035 (2019) Hits: Kemp — 195 (2011) Doubles: Seager — 44 (2019) Triples: Gordon — 12 (2014) Runs: Bellinger — 121 (2019) Stolen bases: Gordon — 64 (2014)