It’s been less than two years since the Dodgers won the World Series. Of the 38 men who appeared in a game for them in 2020, almost half have moved on to another organization. While some are just beginning to hit their stride as major leaguers, others might have played their final big league game.
Here is a brief look at how each of the 17 departed 2020 Dodgers are doing:
1. Corey Seager
Seager signed a 10-year, $325 million contract to join the Texas Rangers last winter, ending his eight-year run in Dodger blue. The shortstop, 28, is on pace for roughly 5 Wins Above Replacement, which would be his best season since 2017. Offense is down league-wide, which helps explain Seager’s .322 on-base percentage for the rebuilding Rangers.
2. Kiké Hernandez
After the Dodgers won the World Series, they chose not to bring back Hernandez, their emotional spark plug and jack-of-all-trades utilityman. He signed a two-year contract with the Boston Red Sox and established himself as the team’s primary center fielder. After a slow start to begin the 2022 season, Hernandez recently rattled off a six-game hitting streak. He still has more strikeouts (28) than hits (25) to go along with a .182 batting average through Wednesday.
3. AJ Pollock
The Dodgers traded Pollock, 34, to the Chicago White Sox for Craig Kimbrel at the end of spring training. So far the Dodgers have won the trade. While Kimbrel has yet to blow a save in seven chances, Pollock has already visited the injured list and batted .220 with one home run in 23 games when healthy.
4. Joc Pederson
Pederson has hardly been a stranger since leaving the Dodgers as a free agent after the 2020 season. He signed with the Cubs, then was traded to Atlanta at midseason and led the Braves to an NLCS victory over the Dodgers. Pederson, 30, is now thriving in a part-time role in San Francisco, with seven home runs in 28 games.
5. Matt Beaty
Beaty’s contribution to the 2020 postseason was small but memorable. He made three plate appearances in the NLCS and reached in all three: a walk and two hit-by-pitches. After a career year in 2021 (.270 average, .363 on-base percentage), Beaty was cut by the Dodgers in spring training and quickly latched on with San Diego. He’s appeared in 17 games with the Padres, going 4 for 37 (.108).
6. Keibert Ruiz
Ruiz was the Dodgers’ third catcher during the pandemic-shortened season and only appeared in two regular-season games. He was traded to the Washington Nationals at the 2021 deadline, along with pitcher Josiah Gray, for Trea Turner and Max Scherzer. Scherzer helped the Dodgers reach the NLCS and Turner continues to pay dividends, while the 23-year-old Ruiz is beginning to deliver on his potential in D.C. He’s hitting .282 with a .344 on-base percentage in 30 games as the Nationals’ primary catcher.
7. Terrance Gore
The base-stealing specialist was in the Dodgers’ organization throughout the 2020 season, but only appeared in two regular-season games as a pinch-runner. He spent the 2021 campaign in the Braves’ organization, reaching base at a .361 clip at Triple-A. Atlanta used Gore in one NLDS game as a pinch-runner, then released him after the season. He has yet to sign with a club since.
8. Alex Wood
Former Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi was quick to reunite with Wood in San Francisco, signing him as a free agent after each of the last two seasons. As a Giant, Wood has been winning (13-5 record) despite a pedestrian 3.85 ERA. Against the Dodgers the left-hander has fared poorly, going 0-3 with a 4.84 ERA – including a no-decision in Game 3 of last year’s NLDS.
9. Ross Stripling
Since he was traded to Toronto in Aug. 2020, Stripling has shuffled between the Blue Jays’ rotation and bullpen. (Sound familiar?) He’s gotten slightly better results as a starter, and carried a 4.62 ERA in nine appearances through Wednesday. Outfielder Ryan Noda, one of the two minor leaguers the Dodgers received from the Blue Jays in the Stripling trade, has a promising .857 on-base plus slugging percentage in 34 games at Triple-A Oklahoma City. The other, pitcher Kendall Williams, was recently promoted to advanced Single-A Great Lakes.
10. Kenley JansenIn a memorable two-day span in March, the Braves signed Jansen to a free agent contract one day after losing Freddie Freeman to the Dodgers. Both stars have performed exceptionally; Jansen converted his first nine save opportunities before blowing his first chance this week. The 34-year-old has a 2.70 ERA.
11. Joe Kelly
Like he did before becoming a fan favorite in Los Angeles, Kelly has gotten off to a slow start since joining the Chicago White Sox. Injuries have limited him to four appearances, and he’s been roughed up for six runs in three innings. The 33-year-old reliever signed a two-year, $17 million contract in March.
12. Pedro Baez
A frequently used, low-leverage relief pitcher throughout his Dodgers tenure (2014-20), Baez’s career stalled after he signed a two-year, $12.5 million free agent contract with the Houston Astros after the 2020 season. A shoulder injury limited the right-hander to four games in 2021. Houston designated Baez for assignment after a rough start to the 2022 season. He is a free agent.
13. Scott Alexander
The left-hander appeared in 132 games for the Dodgers from 2018-21 but none in the postseason the last three years. Shoulder injuries limited him to 18 games in 2021, and he did not re-sign until the Giants inked him to a minor league contract earlier this month.
14. Dylan Floro
The rare right-handed specialist on the 2020 Dodgers’ staff, Floro is one of two middle relievers who left after the season and closed in 2021. (Jake McGee is the other.) The right-hander went 6-5 with a 2.81 ERA in 68 games with the Marlins in 2021, converting 15 of 21 save opportunities. He’s spent most of the 2022 season on the IL recovering from rotator cuff tendinitis.
15. Jake McGee
The veteran left-hander was a late pickup by the Dodgers during their 2020 “summer camp.” All he did was rattle off nine consecutive scoreless appearances, then become a go-to set-up man in time for the postseason. McGee went 31 for 36 in save opportunities as the Giants’ closer in 2021 and is currently rehabbing a back injury at Triple-A.
16. Josh Sborz
Sborz made four appearances out of the Dodgers’ bullpen in 2020, all during the regular season. Traded to Texas in Feb. 2021, he’s shuttled back and forth between Arlington and Triple-A this season, allowing seven runs in seven innings through Wednesday.
17. Adam Kolarek
The southpaw was outstanding as a left-handed specialist for the Dodgers, though MLB’s switch to a three-batter minimum somewhat limited his effectiveness. He’s been solid for the Oakland A’s in 2022, with a 3.07 ERA in 12 games (14-2/3 innings).