The Los Angeles Dodgers fell short of their goal of repeating as World Series champions, but still enjoyed a successful 2021 season as they tied a franchise record with 106 wins and posted the best run differential in all of baseball.
Throughout the year were several memorable plays and moments, which the DodgerBlue.com staff ranked to assemble a top 10 list that features Mookie Betts, Corey Seager, Trea Turner, Will Smith, AJ Pollock and Justin Turner, among others.
Betts was the standout of the bunch, appearing twice on the list despite a bit of an inconsistent year as he played through a bone spur in his right hip.
No. 10: Justin Turner, World Series ring ceremony
Although at a reduced attendance because of local guidelines to combat the spread of COVID-19, Dodgers fans were welcomed back to Dodger Stadium on April 9 for the first time since the 2019 season ended in disappointment.
After players received their World Series rings during a pregame ceremony, Turner wound up providing a signature moment with a solo home run in the sixth inning that held as the difference in a 1-0 win over the Washington Nationals.
No. 9: Trea Turner scores from first base on infield single
After drawing a one-out walk in the second inning of the Freeway Series finale against the L.A. Angels, Turner showed off his patented speed and scored from first base when a chopper went off David Fletcher’s glove and rolled into shallow left-center field.
Turner was running on the pitch and stopped briefly upon arriving at second base, before then breaking into another full sprint to go head-first into home plate. That extended the Dodgers’ lead to three runs and they went on for an 8-2 victory.
No. 8: Mookie Betts catch and throw for double play against Pirates
In the final game of a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, Betts showed off all the skills that make him a great defender when he turned an impressive double play.
Betts sprinted in and robbed Ka’Ai Tom of a hit, then without hesitation, spun around 360 degrees to fire a strike to Austin Barnes and throw out Erik Gonzalez trying to score while his momentum was still carrying him toward the first-base dugout.
No. 7: Will Smith walk-off home run vs. Giants
Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers were down to their final three outs when Giants reliever Tyler Rogers began the inning by walking Chris Taylor and Matt Beaty on a combined nine pitches.
With the tying and go-ahead runs on base, Smith entered the game as a pinch-hitter and belted his second career walk-off home run to give the Dodgers an 8-6 win.
No. 6: AJ Pollock robs Manny Machado of home run
With the Dodgers holding a 1-0 advantage over the San Diego Padres, Manny Machado connected on a pitch from Julio Urias that appeared to have enough to leave Petco Park.
Pollock had other plans, however, as he leaped at the wall in left field and brought back the ball before it landed in the stands to preserve L.A.’s lead.
No. 5: Cody Bellinger walk-off home run vs. Cubs
After entering the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning, Cody Bellinger sent a cutter from Chicago Cubs reliever Keegan Thompson into the right-center field bleachers for a walk-off home run to lift the Dodgers to a 3-2 win.
No. 4: Chris Taylor web gems with injured neck
After being held out of the previous three games due to lingering neck trouble, Taylor replaced Pollock in left field on Sept. 24 in a must-win game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The super utilityman wound up making a diving catch and sliding grab in the bottom of the ninth inning to help the Dodgers preserve a 4-2 victory.
No. 3: Max Scherzer dominates Astros
In his highly anticipated Dodgers debut against the Houston Astros, Max Scherzer allowed just two runs on a season-high 109 pitches and collected 10 strikeouts over seven innings.
It came in front of an announced attendance of 52,724, which was the most for an MLB game this year.
No. 2: ‘1+4’ comeback against Padres
Trailing 9-5 to the Padres the seventh inning of a Sept. 29 matchup at Dodger Stadium, Betts began an epic Dodgers comeback by belting a solo home run into the left-field pavilion.
After David Price quickly worked his way through the top of the eighth, Max Muncy and Pollock combined for back-to-back home runs. Two batters later Bellinger tied the game with a line-drive homer to right field.
Turner followed with a pinch-hit double, and Corey Seager punctuated the rally with a game-winning two-run home run.
No. 1: Mookie Betts makes game-ending catch
In one of their first head-to-head matchups this past season, Betts took away a potential win from the Padres with an unbelievable diving catch.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and the tying runners in scoring position, Tommy Pham hit a line drive that Betts immediately broke left on and sprawled out for a game-winning catch in the right-center field gap.
Making it all the more impressive was Betts not only got to the baseball but held onto it in the palm of his glove. The catch probability was a mere 10% according to Statcast, making it a five-star play.
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