Orel Hershiser Dominance Run

Lore & Background

The 2020 Dodgers started the season 30–10, matching the best 40-game start in franchise history. The last such Dodgers start came in 1977, along with the Brooklyn teams in 1888 and 1955. This was also the best 40-game start in the majors since the 116-win Mariners began 31–9 in 2001. The Dodgers led MLB in runs scored (349), home runs (118) and slugging percentage (.483, first overall; the Atlanta Braves were second at .476). The Dodgers finished the regular season 43–17, winning their eighth straight division title, and swept both the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLWCS and the San Diego Padres in the NLDS. They then defeated the Braves in the NLCS to advance to the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, their third World Series appearance in the last four years and their 24th pennant in franchise history, surpassing the San Francisco Giants for the most in the National League. The Dodgers would then go on to defeat the Rays in six games, winning their first World Series since 1988, their sixth since moving to Los Angeles, and the seventh in franchise history.

In Their Own Story

The stadium lights hummed overhead as Orel stepped onto the mound, the dirt cool beneath his cleats. It was late in the count, bases loaded, and the silence from the stands felt heavy. He adjusted his cap, ignoring the roar of the crowd, focusing only on the catcher's mitt. With a deep breath, he wound up, delivering a pitch that cut through the night air like a blade. The batter swung and missed. Another strikeout, another step toward history.

Reader's Guide

The team's regular season .717 winning percentage is the highest of the post-1960 expansion era. Had the team finished a 162-game season at the same pace, they would have tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs and 2001 Seattle Mariners with a record 116 wins.

Did You Know?

• The Dodgers swept both the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLWCS and the San Diego Padres in the NLDS.
• The Dodgers defeated the Braves in the NLCS to advance to the World Series.
• The Dodgers won their first World Series since 1988, their sixth since moving to Los Angeles, and the seventh in franchise history.