LA Dodgers: From Brooklyn to Back-to-Back Titles

The Team's Origins and Early History

The Dodgers franchise was founded in Brooklyn, New York in 1883 as the Brooklyn Atlantics, and joined the National League in 1890. On January 22, 1932, Brooklyn sportswriters chose "Dodgers" as the team's official, permanent name. The franchise witnessed one of the most significant moments in American baseball history when Jackie Robinson made his debut on April 15, 1947, becoming the first African American player in the modern major leagues — a milestone later recognized as a landmark moment in U.S. civil rights history. In 1955, the team won its first World Series title while still based in Brooklyn.

The Move to Los Angeles

After the 1957 season, the franchise relocated from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, a move led by owner Walter O'Malley amid disputes over a new ballpark that New York had refused to approve. The Dodgers played their first Los Angeles game on April 18, 1958, beating the San Francisco Giants 6-5 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The team won its first Los Angeles title in 1959, and after four seasons at the Coliseum, Dodger Stadium opened in 1962.

The Modern Era and Renewed Success

After a long championship drought dating back to 1988, the Dodgers returned to the top of the baseball world with a World Series win in 2020. Victories continued with the 2024 title, and the team repeated the feat in 2025, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games. This success has been fueled by heavy investment in star talent, led by Shohei Ohtani, who joined the team in 2024, along with a front office featuring Andrew Friedman as president of baseball operations and Dave Roberts as manager.

The White House Visit and the 2026 Season

On July 26, 2026, President Donald Trump hosted the Dodgers at the White House to celebrate their back-to-back titles, though player Mookie Betts did not attend the event. As of early August 2026, the team leads the NL West with a 69-41 record and a .262 batting average. The Dodgers have shown strength on both offense and defense, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto posting a 2.72 ERA this season while Ohtani has hit 24 home runs so far. Note that some sources give slightly different run-differential figures for the team this season, likely due to differences in when the data was last updated.

Numbers Worth Knowing About the Team's History

Since moving to Los Angeles in 1958 through the end of 2025, the franchise holds a record of 5,901 wins against 4,857 losses. The team's all-time record since its founding stands at 11,525 wins against 10,137 losses. The franchise is currently valued by Forbes at approximately $7.8 billion, among the highest valuations in American baseball.