Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael Schatz
No franchise in baseball has produced a pitching tradition quite like the Dodgers. From Ebbets Field to Chavez Ravine, the men who took the mound in this uniform have authored some of the most unhittable seasons the sport has ever seen — perfect games, no-hitters, sub-2.00 ERAs, scoreless-inning streaks for the ages. This list counts down the 20 greatest Dodgers pitchers of all time, ranked by what they actually did while wearing the uniform.
Don't lose this article. Enter your email below, and I'll send it to you right now. Plus, we'll send you other unbelievable stories from baseball's past.
A few ground rules. Brooklyn and Los Angeles both count — they are one continuous franchise, and the careers of Dazzy Vance, Burleigh Grimes, and Whit Wyatt deserve to sit beside Kershaw, Koufax, and Drysdale on the same shelf. Career numbers from other teams are ignored. A pitcher’s case rests on three things: their best individual seasons, the length of time they were dominant in this uniform, and what they did in October.
We’re counting down from #20 to #1, so scroll all the way through. The top of this list is one of the toughest #1 vs. #2 debates in baseball history, and a few names you might not expect made the cut. Let’s get into it.
#20. Kevin Brown
1999-2003
With the team: 58-32 record, 0 saves, 784 strikeouts, 2.83 ERA, 2× All-Star
Kevin Brown anchored the Dodgers rotation from 1999 through 2003, arriving as one of baseball’s most dominant pitchers. Over five seasons in Los Angeles, he posted a 2.83 ERA across 872.7 innings with 784 strikeouts, winning 58 games against 32 losses. He earned two All-Star selections during his Dodgers tenure.
His first season in Dodger blue set the tone immediately. Brown won 18 games in 1999 with a 2.38 ERA, earning All-Star honors while establishing himself as the staff ace.
The 2000 campaign proved even more dominant statistically. Brown led the National League in both ERA at 2.58 and WHIP at 0.99, showcasing the command and power sinker that made him so difficult to square up.
His 11 complete games over five seasons reflected an era when starters still routinely finished what they started. Brown’s sub-3.00 ERA across nearly 900 innings represents one of the most sustained stretches of excellence by any Dodgers pitcher during the franchise’s modern era in Los Angeles.
#19. Claude Osteen
1965-1973
With the team: 147-126 record, 0 saves, 1162 strikeouts, 3.09 ERA, 3× All-Star
Claude Osteen anchored the Dodgers rotation from 1965 through 1973, compiling 147 wins across nine seasons in Los Angeles. The left-hander logged 2,396.7 innings with a 3.09 ERA while completing 100 games and recording 34 shutouts. His durability showed in 335 starts across 339 appearances, making him one of the franchise’s most reliable workhorses of the era.
Osteen earned three All-Star selections as a Dodger and contributed to the 1965 World Series championship team. His finest season came in 1969 when he posted 21 wins, the only 20-win campaign of his Los Angeles tenure.
He also won 17 games in 1967 while earning All-Star honors, then returned to the Midsummer Classic again in 1970. Osteen’s consistency kept the Dodgers competitive throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, providing steady production year after year.
His 147 victories rank among the highest win totals by any pitcher in Dodgers history during the Los Angeles era.
#18. Hideo Nomo
1995-2004
With the team: 81-66 record, 0 saves, 1200 strikeouts, 3.74 ERA, 1× All-Star
Hideo Nomo pitched for the Dodgers across seven seasons between 1995 and 2004, arriving as a groundbreaking figure from Japan. He posted an 81-66 record with a 3.74 ERA over 191 starts, striking out 1,200 batters in 1,217.3 innings while completing 12 games and recording seven shutouts.
His 1995 debut season made him the first Japanese-born player in Dodgers history to appear in an MLB game, and he captured National League Rookie of the Year honors. That rookie campaign included a 16-strikeout performance that helped establish him as a sensation.
Nomo threw a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 17, 1996, the first no-hitter in that ballpark’s history. He earned one All-Star selection during his Dodgers tenure.
His 1,200 strikeouts in a Dodgers uniform represent the impact of a pitcher who opened the door for Japanese players in Los Angeles and delivered consistent production across two separate stints with the franchise.
#17. Bob Welch
1978-1987
With the team: 115-86 record, 8 saves, 1292 strikeouts, 3.14 ERA, 1× All-Star
Bob Welch pitched for the Dodgers from 1978 through 1987, compiling 115 wins against 86 losses over 10 seasons. He posted a 3.14 ERA across 1820.7 innings while striking out 1292 batters and completing 47 games with 23 shutouts.
His arrival announced itself dramatically in 1978 when, as a 21-year-old rookie, he struck out Reggie Jackson to end Game 2 of the World Series and preserve a 4-3 Dodgers victory over the Yankees. That confrontation between the young fireballer and the veteran slugger became one of the defining images of that Fall Classic.
Welch delivered his finest postseason performance in 1981, winning three games in the National League Championship Series to help Los Angeles capture the pennant. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series that strike-shortened season.
He earned one All-Star selection during his Dodgers tenure and closed his Los Angeles career in 1987 with a 14-9 record. Welch ranks among the franchise’s top 10 in career wins, a testament to a decade of durability and consistent performance on the mound.
#16. Whit Wyatt
1939-1944
With the team: 80-45 record, 1 saves, 540 strikeouts, 2.86 ERA, 4× All-Star
Whit Wyatt pitched for the Dodgers from 1939 through 1944, anchoring Brooklyn’s rotation during the franchise’s resurgence in the early 1940s. Over six seasons, he compiled an 80-45 record with a 2.86 ERA across 157 appearances, completing 75 of his 148 starts.
His 1941 campaign stands as one of the finest pitching seasons in franchise history. Wyatt led the National League with 22 wins and seven shutouts, helping Brooklyn capture the NL pennant. He earned four All-Star selections during his Dodgers tenure and received multiple All-Star honors from Baseball Magazine and The Sporting News in both 1941 and 1942.
Wyatt remained dominant through 1943, winning 19 games in one of his strongest seasons with the club. His 17 shutouts as a Dodger reflected his ability to dominate lineups in an era when complete games defined pitching excellence.
No pitcher won more games for Brooklyn during the early 1940s than Wyatt, whose 80 victories in six seasons established him as the staff ace who delivered the franchise’s first pennant in over two decades.
#15. Preacher Roe
1948-1954
With the team: 93-37 record, 4 saves, 632 strikeouts, 3.26 ERA, 4× All-Star
Preacher Roe pitched for the Dodgers from 1948 through 1954, compiling a 93-37 record across seven seasons. His 3.26 ERA and 74 complete games anchored Brooklyn’s rotation during one of the franchise’s most competitive eras.
The left-hander’s 1951 campaign stands as one of the finest single seasons by any Dodgers pitcher. He went 22-3 with a 3.04 ERA, started the season 10-0, and led the National League with an .880 winning percentage. The performance earned him The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year honors.
Between 1951 and 1953, Roe went 44-8 overall, helping the Dodgers capture three pennants during that stretch. He earned four All-Star selections with Brooklyn and recorded 12 shutouts in 173 starts.
His 93 wins against just 37 losses represent one of the most dominant winning percentages in franchise history for pitchers with significant tenure.
#14. Carl Erskine
1948-1959
With the team: 122-78 record, 13 saves, 981 strikeouts, 4.00 ERA, 1× All-Star
Carl Erskine pitched for the Dodgers from 1948 through 1959, compiling 122 wins against 78 losses across 335 appearances. He started 216 games and completed 71 of them, recording 14 shutouts and 981 strikeouts over 1,718.7 innings with a 4.0 ERA.
His signature moment came on October 2, 1953, when he set a World Series record by striking out 14 New York Yankees in Game 3. He won that game for Brooklyn, delivering one of the most dominant postseason pitching performances in franchise history.
Erskine pitched a no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs on June 19, 1952, cementing his reputation as one of Brooklyn’s most reliable starters. He earned one All-Star selection during his tenure and contributed to World Series championships in both 1955 and 1959.
Over 12 seasons in Dodger blue, Erskine provided the consistency and October excellence that defined the Boys of Summer era, his World Series strikeout record standing as testament to his ability to elevate his performance when it mattered most.
#13. Eric Gagne
1999-2006
With the team: 25-21 record, 161 saves, 629 strikeouts, 3.27 ERA, 3× All-Star
Eric Gagne pitched for the Dodgers from 1999 to 2006, transforming from a struggling starter into one of baseball’s most dominant closers. Over eight seasons, he recorded 161 saves and struck out 629 batters in 545.3 innings while posting a 3.27 ERA across 298 appearances.
His 2003 campaign stands as one of the greatest relief seasons in franchise history. Gagne won the National League Cy Young Award and saved 55 consecutive games, a major league record for a single season at the time.
The streak extended beyond that year. From 2002 through 2004, Gagne converted 84 consecutive save opportunities, setting an MLB record for the most consecutive saves at the time.
He earned three All-Star selections with the Dodgers and won back-to-back Rolaids Relief Man Awards in 2003 and 2004. His 2003 season also brought him recognition as The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year and Reliever of the Year.
No closer in Dodgers history has matched Gagne’s combination of sustained excellence and record-breaking dominance during his peak years.
#12. Nap Rucker
1907-1916
With the team: 134-134 record, 14 saves, 1217 strikeouts, 2.42 ERA
Nap Rucker anchored the Brooklyn pitching staff from 1907 through 1916, compiling 134 wins against 134 losses across 336 appearances. The left-hander threw 2,375.3 innings for the franchise, recording 1,217 strikeouts and posting a 2.42 ERA during the dead-ball era.
His 1908 campaign established him as an elite National League pitcher, finishing 27-17 with a 1.65 ERA. That September, Rucker threw the first no-hitter by a left-handed pitcher in Dodgers history.
He followed with another dominant season in 1910, going 24-17 with a 1.65 ERA. Rucker earned Baseball Magazine All-Star recognition seven times between 1908 and 1912, appearing on both National League and Major League teams.
His 38 shutouts and 186 complete games reflected the workhorse expectations of his era. Despite pitching for mostly mediocre Brooklyn clubs, Rucker maintained consistent excellence throughout his decade with the franchise.
No pitcher in Brooklyn history logged more innings or complete games for the club during the dead-ball period than Rucker.
#11. Johnny Podres
1953-1966
With the team: 136-104 record, 6 saves, 1331 strikeouts, 3.66 ERA, 4× All-Star
Johnny Podres pitched for the Dodgers from 1953 through 1966, compiling 136 wins against 104 losses across 366 appearances. Over 2029.3 innings, he struck out 1331 batters while posting a 3.66 ERA and recording 23 shutouts. He earned four All-Star selections during his tenure with the club.
His defining moment came in 1955 when he threw a complete-game victory in Game 7 of the World Series against the Yankees, delivering the franchise its first championship. That performance earned him both the World Series MVP and Babe Ruth Award.
Podres contributed to four World Series titles with the Dodgers, including 1955, 1959, 1963, and 1965. In 1959, he went 18-6 with a 2.66 ERA, helping lead the club to another championship.
No Dodgers pitcher is more synonymous with the franchise’s first World Series triumph than the left-hander who shut down the Yankees when it mattered most.
#10. Burleigh Grimes
1918-1926
With the team: 158-121 record, 5 saves, 952 strikeouts, 3.46 ERA
Burleigh Grimes pitched nine seasons for Brooklyn from 1918 through 1926, anchoring the rotation as the franchise’s most durable starter of the era. The spitball specialist won 158 games against 121 losses with a 3.46 ERA across 318 appearances, completing 205 of his 287 starts and recording 20 shutouts.
His 1920 campaign stands as one of the finest pitching seasons in franchise history. Grimes went 23-11 with a 1.91 ERA, leading the National League in both wins and complete games with 31 while pushing Brooklyn into pennant contention.
He earned Baseball Magazine All-Star recognition seven times during his Brooklyn tenure, including selections in 1920, 1921, and 1924. His first season in 1918 set the tone with a 17-7 record and 2.13 ERA in 28 games.
Grimes accumulated 2,426 innings and 952 strikeouts in Brooklyn before moving on in 1927, eventually earning Hall of Fame induction in 1964. His 158 victories remain among the highest win totals in franchise history for a single pitcher.
#9. Kenley Jansen
2010-2021
With the team: 37-26 record, 350 saves, 1022 strikeouts, 2.37 ERA, 3× All-Star
Kenley Jansen anchored the Dodgers bullpen from 2010 through 2021, converting from catcher to closer and redefining dominance at the back end. Over 12 seasons in Los Angeles, he recorded 350 saves across 701 appearances, striking out 1,022 batters while posting a 2.37 ERA.
His peak arrived in 2016 when he earned NL Reliever of the Year honors and became the Dodgers’ all-time saves leader on June 20. He repeated as Reliever of the Year in 2017, cementing consecutive seasons of elite performance.
Jansen earned three All-Star selections with the Dodgers and played a crucial role in their 2020 World Series championship. His cutter became one of baseball’s most unhittable pitches, generating swings and misses that left hitters shaking their heads.
When he departed after 2021, Jansen held the franchise record for saves by a margin that reflected his sustained excellence. No reliever in Dodgers history appeared in more games or recorded more strikeouts than the Curaçao native who transformed himself into the most prolific closer in franchise history.
#8. Don Newcombe
1949-1958
With the team: 123-66 record, 4 saves, 913 strikeouts, 3.51 ERA, 4× All-Star
Don Newcombe pitched for the Dodgers from 1949 through 1958, establishing himself as one of the franchise’s most dominant right-handers of the era. Over eight seasons, he compiled 123 wins against 66 losses with a 3.51 ERA across 258 appearances, completing 111 of his 230 starts.
His 1949 debut season produced a Rookie of the Year Award after he went 17-8 and led the National League in shutouts. Newcombe earned four All-Star selections during his Dodgers tenure and contributed to the franchise’s 1955 World Series championship.
The 1956 campaign stands as his signature achievement. He went 27-7 that season, capturing both the National League Most Valuable Player Award and the Cy Young Award while setting the National League record with seven home runs by a pitcher.
Newcombe remains the only Dodger to win the Rookie of the Year, MVP, and Cy Young Award during his time with the franchise.
#7. Fernando Valenzuela
1980-1990
With the team: 141-116 record, 2 saves, 1759 strikeouts, 3.31 ERA, 6× All-Star
Fernando Valenzuela pitched for the Dodgers from 1980 to 1990, compiling 141 wins and a 3.31 ERA across 331 appearances. The left-hander struck out 1,759 batters over 2,348.7 innings and completed 107 games with 29 shutouts during his 11 seasons in Los Angeles.
His 1981 rookie campaign remains unmatched in franchise lore. Valenzuela became the first player ever to win both the Rookie of the Year Award and the Cy Young Award in the same season, sparking a cultural phenomenon that transcended baseball.
He delivered a complete-game victory in Game 3 of the 1981 World Series, helping secure the championship. The six-time All-Star added another World Series ring in 1988 and threw a no-hitter against the Cardinals on June 29, 1990, in a 6-0 victory.
Valenzuela’s 141 wins and 29 shutouts place him among the most accomplished pitchers to wear Dodger blue in Los Angeles.
#6. Dazzy Vance
1922-1935
With the team: 190-131 record, 7 saves, 1918 strikeouts, 3.17 ERA
Dazzy Vance pitched for Brooklyn from 1922 through 1935, establishing himself as the dominant strikeout artist of the 1920s. Over 12 seasons, he won 190 games with a 3.17 ERA and struck out 1,918 batters across 2,757.7 innings.
His 1924 campaign stands as one of the finest pitching seasons in franchise history. Vance won the National League MVP and the pitching Triple Crown, leading the league with 28 wins, 262 strikeouts, and the lowest ERA.
Beginning in 1922, Vance led the National League in strikeouts for seven consecutive seasons through 1928, a record-setting streak for a Dodgers pitcher. He completed 212 games and recorded 29 shutouts during his Brooklyn tenure.
The Baseball Writers elected Vance to the Hall of Fame in 1955. He remains the franchise’s all-time leader in strikeouts among pitchers who spent their prime years in Brooklyn.
#5. Orel Hershiser
1983-2000
With the team: 135-107 record, 5 saves, 1456 strikeouts, 3.12 ERA, 3× All-Star
Orel Hershiser pitched for the Dodgers from 1983 to 2000, compiling 135 wins against 107 losses over 13 seasons. He recorded a 3.12 ERA across 2180.7 innings with 1456 strikeouts, throwing 65 complete games and 24 shutouts during his tenure.
The 1988 season defined Hershiser’s career and franchise legacy. He set a major league record with 59 consecutive scoreless innings during the regular season, then won the Cy Young Award after posting a 23-8 record with a 2.26 ERA.
That postseason dominance continued as Hershiser earned both NLCS MVP and World Series MVP honors, leading the Dodgers to the 1988 championship. He also collected a Gold Glove that year, showcasing his all-around excellence on the mound.
Hershiser made three All-Star teams with Los Angeles and even won a Silver Slugger in 1993. His 135 wins and 24 shutouts rank among the highest totals in Dodgers history for the Los Angeles era.
#4. Don Sutton
1966-1988
With the team: 233-181 record, 5 saves, 2696 strikeouts, 3.09 ERA, 4× All-Star
Don Sutton anchored the Dodgers rotation from 1966 through 1980 and returned for a final stint in 1988, compiling 233 wins across 16 seasons in Los Angeles. He logged 3816.3 innings with 2696 strikeouts and a 3.09 ERA, throwing 52 shutouts and 156 complete games. The right-hander earned four All-Star selections with the club and took home All-Star Game MVP honors in 1977.
His 1972 campaign stands as a career peak, when he won 19 games with a 2.08 ERA and finished second in NL Cy Young voting. On July 3, 1976, Sutton pitched a no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves, cementing one of the signature moments of his Dodgers tenure.
He helped deliver a World Series title in 1981, going 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in the postseason. Sutton returned to the franchise in 1988 and earned another championship ring before retiring.
The Hall of Fame inducted him in 1998, recognizing a body of work in which no Dodgers pitcher has recorded more wins or strikeouts in franchise history.
#3. Don Drysdale
1956-1969
With the team: 209-166 record, 6 saves, 2486 strikeouts, 2.95 ERA, 9× All-Star
Don Drysdale anchored the Dodgers’ rotation from 1956 through 1969, compiling 209 wins across 14 seasons in Los Angeles. The right-hander logged 3,432 innings with 2,486 strikeouts and a 2.95 ERA, establishing himself as one of the most durable starters of his era. He threw 49 shutouts and completed 167 games during his tenure.
Drysdale’s 1962 campaign stands as his statistical peak, when he went 25-9 and captured the National League Cy Young Award. That season earned him recognition as The Sporting News Major League Player of the Year and nine All-Star selections punctuated his career with the club.
His 1968 season produced one of baseball’s most enduring records: six consecutive shutouts and a scoreless-innings streak that reached 58⅔ frames. Drysdale also delivered in October, starting and winning Game 4 of the 1965 World Series as the Dodgers defeated the Minnesota Twins for the championship.
The franchise won three World Series titles during his time on the mound—1959, 1963, and 1965—with Drysdale serving as a cornerstone of each championship rotation.
#2. Sandy Koufax
1955-1966
With the team: 165-87 record, 9 saves, 2396 strikeouts, 2.76 ERA, 7× All-Star
Sandy Koufax pitched for the Dodgers from 1955 through 1966, compiling a 165-87 record across 12 seasons. Over 2,324.3 innings, he struck out 2,396 batters while posting a 2.76 ERA and recording 40 shutouts.
His 1963 season stands as a statistical masterpiece: a 25-5 record with a 1.88 ERA earned him the National League Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player honors. He won three Cy Young Awards total with the Dodgers, claiming the honor again in 1965 and 1966.
Koufax threw a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on September 9, 1965. That same year, he captured World Series MVP after shutting out the Minnesota Twins in Game 7 on two days’ rest.
He earned seven All-Star selections with Los Angeles and won four World Series titles with the franchise. Koufax entered the Hall of Fame in 1972, just six years after his final pitch in a Dodger uniform.
#1. Clayton Kershaw
2008-2021
With the team: 185-84 record, 0 saves, 2670 strikeouts, 2.49 ERA, 8× All-Star
Clayton Kershaw anchored the Dodgers rotation from 2008 through 2021, establishing himself as the franchise’s modern ace across 14 seasons. The left-hander compiled 185 wins against 84 losses with a 2.49 ERA, striking out 2,670 batters in 2,454.7 innings pitched.
His trophy case from his Dodgers tenure includes three Cy Young Awards in 2011, 2013, and 2014, plus the 2014 NL MVP Award. He earned eight All-Star selections and captured the Pitching Triple Crown in 2011.
The 2014 season stands as his statistical peak, when he went 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA to claim both the Cy Young and MVP honors. That same year, he threw a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies on June 18.
Kershaw helped deliver the 2020 World Series championship, ending the franchise’s 32-year title drought. His 2,670 strikeouts and 2.49 ERA represent the standard for Dodgers pitching excellence in the 21st century.
The Final Word
Picking between Clayton Kershaw and Sandy Koufax for the top spot is the kind of argument that has no clean answer. Koufax’s four-year peak from 1963 to 1966 is arguably the most dominant stretch any pitcher has ever produced — three Cy Young Awards, an MVP, four no-hitters including a perfect game, and ERAs that look like typos. Kershaw doesn’t have a peak quite that high, but he sustained excellence over 14 seasons and counting, with three Cy Youngs, an MVP, and the postseason ring he chased for over a decade. Don Drysdale rounds out a top three that may be the strongest 1-2-3 of any franchise in baseball.
And those are only the headliners. Dazzy Vance led the league in strikeouts seven straight years before anyone was paying close attention. Don Newcombe was the first pitcher to win Rookie of the Year, MVP, and Cy Young — an accomplishment matched only by Justin Verlander since. Fernando Valenzuela ignited “Fernandomania” and changed the franchise’s relationship with the city of Los Angeles forever. Kenley Jansen quietly racked up 350 saves before anyone realized he’d become the all-time franchise leader.
How does your ranking compare? The trivia quiz at the top of this article tests your Dodgers pitching knowledge five questions deep — go see how you score.