10 Best Dodgers Pitchers of All Time Ranked
If you asked a room full of baseball historians to name the greatest pitching franchise in Major League history, the conversation begins and ends in Dodger blue. From Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to the sun-drenched sanctuary of Dodger Stadium, this organization has built its identity on the mound. Debating the best dodgers pitchers of all time isn't just about compiling gaudy strikeout totals or counting rings; it is an exploration of distinct baseball eras, pitching philosophies, and moments that froze time.
At the very top, Sandy Koufax and Clayton Kershaw represent the gold standard—one with the most devastating five-year peak the sport has ever witnessed, the other boasting nearly two decades of metronomic regular-season excellence. But beyond the inner-circle Hall of Famers lies an armada of aces who defined generations. Here is the definitive, countdown ranking of the 10 best arms to ever wear the Dodger uniform.
The Mount Rushmore: Koufax and Kershaw at the Summit
1. Sandy Koufax (1955–1966)
No pitcher in baseball history burned brighter than Sandy Koufax between 1962 and 1966. Over that miraculous five-year stretch, the "Left Arm of God" captured three unanimous Cy Young Awards (back when only one pitcher in all of baseball received the honor), an MVP trophy, three Triple Crowns, and posted an unfathomable 1.95 ERA. Koufax wasn't just elite; he was untouchable. He threw four no-hitters—including a perfect game in 1965—and owned the World Series stage with two MVP awards and a career 0.95 Fall Classic ERA. Arthritis cut his career short at age 30, but his peak remains the benchmark for pitching perfection.
2. Clayton Kershaw (2008–Present)
If Koufax is the lightning bolt, Kershaw is the relentless tide. A generational talent who carried the franchise through the 2010s, Kershaw earned three Cy Youngs, an MVP award in 2014, and five NL ERA titles. Among starting pitchers in the modern live-ball era with at least 2,000 innings, his career 2.48 ERA and 157 ERA+ are the finest on record. Kershaw also erased the lone blemish on his resume by pitching the Dodgers to a World Series championship in 2020. Deciding between Koufax and Kershaw is the central dilemma when discussing the best dodgers pitchers of all time, but Kershaw's fifteen-plus years of dominance give him an unmatched body of work.
Chavez Ravine Workhorses: Drysdale, Sutton, and Hershiser
3. Don Drysdale (1956–1969)
Standing 6-foot-5 with a menacing sidearm delivery, "Big D" was the terrifying thunder to Koufax's lightning. Drysdale was an old-school intimidator who owned the inside corner and threw an absurd number of innings. The 1962 Cy Young winner logged 3,432 innings in Dodger blue, made nine All-Star appearances, and in 1968 set a then-record with 58.2 consecutive scoreless innings. Drysdale won three World Series rings with Los Angeles, solidifying his spot among the franchise's grittiest competitors.
4. Don Sutton (1966–1980, 1988)
Don Sutton was the picture of steady, durable brilliance. While he rarely led the league in flashy headline numbers, his consistency turned him into the Dodgers' all-time leader in wins (233), strikeouts (2,696), shutouts (52), and innings pitched (3,814). When evaluating the best dodgers pitchers of all time, longevity matters as much as lightning-in-a-bottle prime seasons, and Sutton gave the Dodgers 16 seasons of dependable, high-caliber starts.
5. Orel Hershiser (1983–1994, 2000)
"The Bulldog" earned his moniker through sheer competitive fury hidden behind a choirboy smile. Hershiser’s 1988 season belongs in baseball folklore: he shattered Drysdale's scoreless-inning record by posting 59 straight shutout frames, took home the NL Cy Young, and single-handedly carried an underdog Dodgers squad to a World Series title over the heavily favored Oakland A's. He won both the NLCS MVP and World Series MVP that autumn, authoring arguably the greatest postseason pitching run in club history.
Cultural Phenoms and Trailblazers: Valenzuela and Newcombe
6. Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1990)
Fernando was more than a superstar pitcher; he was an international sensation. In 1981, "Fernandomania" swept the country as the 20-year-old rookie from Etchohuaquila, Mexico, uncorked his mesmerizing screwball. Valenzuela won both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award in 1981—a feat never accomplished before or since—before shutting down the Yankees in Game 3 of the World Series. Any honest list of the best dodgers pitchers of all time has to measure cultural impact alongside raw numbers, and Fernando reshaped the Dodgers' fanbase forever while winning 141 games and six All-Star nods in LA.
7. Don Newcombe (1949–1958)
"Newk" was a trailblazer whose full impact was trimmed by segregation and military service, yet his peak in Brooklyn was extraordinary. He became the first player ever to sweep Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and MVP awards in a career. In 1956, Newcombe went 27-7 with a 3.06 ERA, taking home both the MVP and Cy Young while pitching Brooklyn to the pennant. Armed with a blazing fastball and pinpoint command, Newcombe was the quintessential Brooklyn ace.
Brooklyn Royalty and Modern Masters: Vance, Podres, and Jansen
8. Dazzy Vance (1922–1932, 1935)
A late-blooming Hall of Famer, Vance dominated the 1920s with Brooklyn like nobody else in the live-ball era. He led the National League in strikeouts for seven consecutive seasons (1922–1928), won the 1924 NL MVP after winning 28 games, and captured three ERA crowns. In an era dominated by offensive explosions, Vance stood as an unhittable marvel.
9. Johnny Podres (1953–1966)
Podres' regular-season numbers (136-104 with a 3.66 ERA in Dodger blue) are solid, but October is where his legend lives. In 1955, Brooklyn had lost seven World Series to the cross-town Yankees. Enter the 23-year-old Podres, who pitched a complete-game shutout in Game 7 at Yankee Stadium to bring Brooklyn its first and only World Series title. He added another World Series MVP in 1959 and won four rings total, establishing himself as one of the ultimate big-game performers.
10. Kenley Jansen (2010–2021)
Relievers often get overshadowed by starters, but Kenley Jansen's sustained brilliance out of the Los Angeles bullpen demands recognition. Armed with a devastating cut fastball drawn straight from the Mariano Rivera mold, Jansen recorded 350 saves as a Dodger (the franchise record by a wide margin) alongside a minuscule 2.37 ERA and 1,022 strikeouts in 705 innings. Jansen anchored the bullpen during the club's run of eight straight division titles, providing the final puzzle piece to our ranking of the best dodgers pitchers of all time.
How We Ranked the Dodgers' Pitching Royalty
Determining the best dodgers pitchers of all time requires balancing distinct eras, ballparks, and pitching responsibilities. Our rankings lean on three core pillars:
- Peak Dominance: How unhittable was the pitcher at his absolute best? Koufax and Valenzuela score through the roof here.
- Franchise Longevity: Consistent value over hundreds of starts, which elevates workhorses like Sutton and Kershaw.
- October Legacy: The Dodgers pride themselves on championships. Legendary performances in pivotal October moments—such as Podres in 1955 or Hershiser in 1988—carry substantial weight.
Whether your loyalties lie with the nostalgic magic of Brooklyn or the modern brilliance of the Chavez Ravine era, one truth remains undisputed: no franchise in baseball can match the depth and sheer star power of the Dodgers' historical rotation.
Frequently asked questions
Who ranks as the #1 best Dodgers pitcher of all time?
Sandy Koufax is traditionally ranked as the best Dodgers pitcher of all time due to his historic 1962–1966 peak, during which he won three Cy Young Awards, an MVP, and two World Series MVPs. However, Clayton Kershaw makes a compelling case based on his 16-plus seasons of sustained Hall of Fame performance.
Who holds the franchise record for most pitching wins as a Dodger?
Don Sutton holds the Dodgers franchise record with 233 career wins, compiled over 16 seasons in Los Angeles.
Did Fernando Valenzuela win the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year in the same season?
Yes. In the strike-shortened 1981 season, Fernando Valenzuela became the first and only player in Major League Baseball history to win both the Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award in the same season.
Who has the most career saves in Dodgers history?
Kenley Jansen is the Dodgers' all-time saves leader with 350 saves recorded between 2010 and 2021, easily surpassing Eric Gagne (161) and Jeff Shaw (129).