The 2018 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 129th for the franchise in Major League Baseball, and their 61st season in Los Angeles, California. They played their home games at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers suffered a season-ending injury to star shortstop Corey Seager early in the season and started the season 16–26, but went 76–45 to close out the season.
They defeated the Colorado Rockies in the National League West tie-breaker game to claim their sixth straight National League West Championship and became the first team to win six straight division championships since the New York Yankees won nine straight from 1998 to 2006 and only the third overall (the Atlanta Braves won 14 from 1991 to 2005). They opened the playoffs by defeating the Atlanta Braves in four games in the NLDS and defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in seven games in the NLCS. It was the third straight NLCS appearance for the Dodgers, a franchise record and the second consecutive National League pennant. They lost to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, their second straight World Series loss. The Dodgers became the first team to lose back-to-back World Series since the Texas Rangers did so in 2010 and 2011, the first National League team to do so since the Braves in 1991 and 1992, the second time in L.A Dodgers history since 1977 and 1978, both against Boston's historic rival, New York Yankees, and the second occurrence in MLB to lose back-to-back World Series on home turf since the 1936–37 New York Giants, also against the Yankees.
Offseason
Coaching/Front Office changes Assistant hitting coach Tim Hyers left the Dodgers to become the hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox while farm director Gabe Kapler left to become manager of the Philadelphia Phillies and his assistant Jeremy Zoll became farm director for the Minnesota Twins. The Dodgers also chose to part ways with long-time bullpen catcher Rob Flippo, who had been in his position since the 2002 season. On November 13, Vice-President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos left his position to become Executive Vice-President/General manager of the Atlanta Braves. On December 1, the Dodgers announced the hiring of Luis Ortiz and Brant Brown to the dual role of assistant hitting coach/minor league hitting coordinator. They also announced that Brandon Gomes would replace Kapler as Director of Player Development and that Ron Porterfield would take on the new post of Director of Player Health. The Dodgers coaching staff lost two more members in December when bullpen coach Josh Bard left to become bench coach for the New York Yankees and Quality Assurance Coach Juan Castro left to become Director of Operations for the Tijuana Toros. On January 2, they replaced Bard by hiring former MLB pitcher Mark Prior to be the team's bullpen coach.
Roster departures On November 2, 2017, the day after the 2017 World Series, several Dodgers players became free agents. They were pitchers Yu Darvish, Brandon Morrow and Tony Watson, second baseman Chase Utley and outfielders Curtis Granderson and Franklin Gutiérrez. On November 5, they declined the 2018 option on outfielder Andre Ethier, making him a free agent. Outfielder O'Koyea Dickson was outrighted to the minors and removed from the 40-man roster on November 6. On November 20, the Dodgers designated RHP Josh Ravin for assignment and LHP Grant Dayton was claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.
Trades On December 16, the Dodgers traded first baseman Adrián González, utility player Charlie Culberson, pitchers Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy, and cash considerations to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for outfielder Matt Kemp. On January 4, the Dodgers made a three-team trade with the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals that sent minor league utility player Jake Peter and pitcher Scott Alexander to the Dodgers, pitchers Joakim Soria and Luis Avilán to the White Sox and pitcher Trevor Oaks and minor league infielder Erick Mejia to the Royals.
Free agent signings On December 20, the Dodgers signed a one-year contract with free agent pitcher Tom Koehler.
Off-season 40-man roster moves Departing Player Date TransactionNew Team Arriving playerOld teamDateTransaction Yu DarvishNovember 2Free agentChicago Cubs Trevor Oaks Oklahoma City DodgersNovember 20 Added to 40 man roster Curtis GrandersonNovember 2Free agentToronto Blue Jays Dennis SantanaTulsa Drillers November 20 Added to 40 man roster Franklin GutiérrezNovember 2Free agentDid not sign Matt KempAtlanta Braves December 16 Trade Brandon MorrowNovember 2Free agentChicago Cubs Tom Koehler Toronto Blue Jays December 20Free agent signing Chase UtleyNovember 2Free agentLos Angeles Dodgers Henry Owens Arizona Diamondbacks December 22 Waiver claim Tony WatsonNovember 2Free agentSan Francisco Giants Dylan Baker Milwaukee Brewers January 2Trade Andre EthierNovember 5Option declinedDid not sign Scott Alexander Kansas City Royals January 4 Trade O'Koyea DicksonNovember 6Outrighted to the minorsTohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles Grant DaytonNovember 20Waiver claimAtlanta Braves Josh RavinNovember 20Designated for assignmentAtlanta Braves Charlie CulbersonDecember 16TradeAtlanta Braves Adrián GonzálezDecember 16TradeAtlanta Braves Scott KazmirDecember 16TradeAtlanta Braves Brandon McCarthyDecember 16TradeAtlanta Braves Luis AvilánJanuary 4TradeChicago White Sox Trevor OaksJanuary 4TradeKansas City Royals
Spring training Spring training began for the Dodgers on February 13 when pitchers and catchers reported to work at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. The primary competition going into camp was in left field where Enrique Hernández, Joc Pederson, Trayce Thompson, Andrew Toles, Alex Verdugo and Matt Kemp were all competing for playing time.
On February 17, the Dodgers announced that they had re-signed second baseman Chase Utley to a two-year, $2 million contract. The Dodgers suffered two serious injuries during spring training, relief pitcher Tom Koehler suffered a strained right shoulder and third baseman Justin Turner suffered a non-displaced fracture of his left wrist after being hit with a pitch. They both would begin the season on the disabled list.
Outfielder Trayce Thompson was designated for assignment on March 27 when it became clear he would not win a spot on the opening day roster. The Dodgers replaced him on the 40-man roster with relief pitcher Cory Mazzoni, who was claimed off waivers from the Chicago Cubs.
Season standings
National League West
National League Wild Card
Record vs. opponents
Regular season +Opening Day startersName PositionChris Taylor Center fielderCorey Seager ShortstopYasiel Puig Right fielderEnrique HernándezSecond basemanCody Bellinger First basemanMatt KempLeft fielderYasmani GrandalCatcherLogan Forsythe Third basemanClayton Kershaw Starting pitcher
March The Dodgers began the 2018 season on March 29, 2018, at Dodger Stadium against the San Francisco Giants. Clayton Kershaw, in his team record eighth consecutive Opening Day start, allowed one run (on a solo homer by Joe Panik) in six innings with seven strikeouts but the Dodgers failed to score and lost 1–0. It was the first time the Dodgers had lost on opening day under Kershaw. In the next game, Alex Wood allowed only one hit in eight shutout innings with five strikeouts and no walks. However, the Dodgers offense again struggled, managing only one hit of their own off of Giants starter Johnny Cueto and two relievers. Joe Panik again hit a solo homer, this time off reliever Kenley Jansen in the ninth inning to give the Giants their second straight 1–0 victory. It was only the second time, and first time since the 1968 season that the Dodgers had been shutout in their first two games of the season and the first time they had lost back-to-back 1–0 games since April 24–25, 2000. The Dodgers committed four errors in the game (including three by Logan Forsythe), for the first time since the 2013 season. Kenta Maeda struck out 10 Giants in five innings his debut on March 31 and the Dodgers offense finally pushed across some runs as they picked up their first win of the season, 5–0.
April The Dodgers finished up the opening series with the Giants on April 1, with a 9–0 victory and a split of the series. Rich Hill struck out five in six scoreless innings while Cody Bellinger hit his first homer of the season and Yasiel Puig had three hits, including a double, and scored two runs.
The first road trip of the season began on April 2 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Hyun-jin Ryu struggled in his debut, allowing three runs on five hits with five walks in innings. Yasmani Grandal had three hits, including a homer and Logan Forsythe also homered as the Dodgers took the lead going into the ninth. However, Kenley Jansen allowed a three-run homer to Chris Owings to tie the game and send it into extra innings. The game went into the fifteenth inning, when a Jeff Mathis pinch-hit single drove in the winning run in the Diamondbacks 8–7 win. In the following game, Clayton Kershaw allowed two solo homers in his six innings while striking out six but the bullpen imploded, walking four batters in the seventh as the Diamondbacks went on to win 6–1. The Dodgers were swept in the series when they fell in the final game, 3–0. Patrick Corbin allowed only one hit in innings and struck out 12. With five loses in their first seven games, this was the Dodgers worst start to a season since 1998. After a rainout on April 6, the Dodgers played the Giants at AT&T Park. The Dodgers lost again, in 14 innings, on a three-run homer by Andrew McCutchen, 7–5. In the next game, they played their third extra inning game of the week, and ended the losing streak thanks to an RBI double by Kyle Farmer in the 10th that gave them a 2–1 win.
Ryu pitched six shutout innings with eight strikeouts on April 9 against the Oakland Athletics back in Los Angeles, while Matt Kemp, Corey Seager and Chris Taylor hit solo homers in a 4–0 win. The Athletics got revenge the next day, recording 21 hits and blowing out the Dodgers 16–6. The Dodgers lost again in the next game, 8–7, to the Diamondbacks. On April 14, the Diamondbacks hit four home runs (including two by A. J. Pollock) to route the Dodgers 9–1. This was the 11th straight regular season loss by the Dodgers to the Diamondbacks, the most against one team since the move to Los Angeles. Clayton Kershaw struck out 12 in seven innings of work the next day as the Dodgers won 7–2, snapping the losing streak.
The Dodgers traveled down the freeway to play the San Diego Padres in a three-game series at Petco Park beginning on April 16. Ryu struck out nine in six innings while Matt Kemp hit a three-run home run and Yasmani Grandal hit a grandslam homer as the Dodgers won 10–3. Alex Wood struck out seven in innings while allowing only one unearned run in the next game while Kemp homered to give the Dodgers an early lead. However, Kenley Jansen blew his second save of the season sending the game into extra innings. A two-run double by Grandal opened the scoring and the Dodgers won 7–3 in 12 innings. They completed their first series sweep of the season with a 13–4 win in the series finale. Kenta Maeda struck out 10 in innings while Corey Seager had four hits and three RBI and Max Muncy homered.
The Dodgers returned home for a three-game series against the Washington Nationals. Max Scherzer out pitched Kershaw in the opener, allowing one run on four hits with nine strikeouts in six innings as the Nationals won 5–2. Ryu allowed only two hits in seven shutout innings the following night and the Dodgers hit three homers to beat the Nationals 4–0. The Dodgers came from behind to win the final game of the series 4–3 thanks to