Which Dodgers Jersey Numbers Are Retired? Full Breakdown of Honored Legends

Tens of thousands of baseball players have come and gone in the Majors Leagues. Most become forgotten, but a select few leave their mark forever.

For the Los Angeles Dodgers, 12 players have earned the honor of having their jersey number retired. There is no set criteria to have a number retired, but most of these players competed with the Dodgers for the majority of their careers and were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Pee Wee Reese, No. 1

Harold Pee Wee Reese is considered to be one of the best shortstops in Dodgers franchise history. He played 16 seasons in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, winning the 1955 World Series and seven NL pennants while earning 10 All-Star selections. He leads the franchise in shortstop appearances (2,014), runs (1,338), and walks (1,210). Reese was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984, which was the same year his number was retired.

In addition to his athletic talent, Reese was known for his character. He famously put his arm around Jackie Robinson to show his support for his teammate who was facing backlash as the first African American MLB player. Reese’s empathy contributed to breaking the color barrier in baseball.

Tommy Lasorda, No. 2

Despite pitching for the Brooklyn Dodgers for two seasons (1954-55), Tommy Lasorda is known best for his 21-season stint as the team’s manager. Lasorda took over with four games left in the 1976 season and led the team until 1996.

The two-time NL Manager of the Year ranks 13th on the all-time MLB managerial list in wins (1,599). Lasorda won two World Series titles (1981, 1988), four NL pennants, and eight division titles throughout his managerial career. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame and had his number retired in 1997.

Duke Snider, No. 4

Known as the Duke of Flatbush, Duke Snider is one of the best hitters in franchise history. The seven-time All-Star center fielder leads all Dodgers in career home runs (389) and RBIs (1,271). Snider also holds the all-time Brooklyn franchise single-season home run record (43), leading the National League in 1956.

Snider won two World Series titles (1955, 1959) and seven NL pennants. After playing 16 seasons with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, Snider’s number was retired the same year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1960.

Gil Hodges, No. 14

Gil Hodges started his MLB career as a third baseman and catcher. But the eight-time All-Star transitioned into a first baseman, winning the first three Gold Gloves in history at the position.

Hodges led the Brooklyn Dodgers to five World Series appearances in eight seasons. He hit two RBIs in the Dodgers’ 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the 1955 World Series, marking the only World Series title in Brooklyn franchise history. Hodges also won the first World Series title with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1959.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame and had his number retired in 2022.

Jim Gilliam, No. 19

Playing his entire 14-season MLB career with the Dodgers, Jim Gilliam was a member of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles franchises. The 1953 NL Rookie of the Year won four World Series and seven pennants. Gilliam was also versatile, making appearances as a second baseman, third baseman, and outfield.

The two-time All-Star ranks fifth in the franchise in games played (2,007) and served as a Dodgers coach for more than a decade after retiring. Although he was never inducted into the Hall of Fame, Gilliam’s number was retired in 1978 to honor him after his death from a brain hemorrhage.

Don Sutton, No. 20

Leading the franchise in career wins (233) and shutouts (52), the Dodgers retired right-handed pitcher Don Sutton’s number in 1998 when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Sutton was a four-time All-Star who recorded 324 wins and 3,574 strikeouts throughout his career. He played 16 of 23 MLB seasons with the Dodgers.

Walter Alston, No. 24

Walter Alston quickly cemented his name in Dodgers history after winning the franchise’s first World Series title in 1955. It was only his second season as the team’s manager. Alston won seven NL pennants and four World Series titles in 23 seasons at the helm. His 2,040 career wins rank sixth on the all-time managerial list.

Alston played in one MLB game with the St. Louis Cardinals, striking out in his only at-bat. But Alston’s accomplishments as a manager earned him an election into the Hall of Fame in 1983 and a number retirement in 1977.

Sandy Koufax, No. 32

Sandy Koufax is one of the best pitchers in baseball history. The three-time Cy Young winner played 12 seasons with the Dodgers, leading the NL in ERA for five consecutive seasons (1962-66). Koufax was the NL MVP in 1963 and the World Series MVP in 1963 and 1965.

The southpaw totaled 165 wins, 40 shutouts, and 2,396 strikeouts throughout his career with the Dodgers. Koufax set an NL record with four no-hitters and a perfect game in 1965, and a national single-season record with 382 strikeouts in the same year.

Koufax was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and the Dodgers retired his number in 1972.

Fernando Valenzuela, No. 34

Fernando Valenzuela has not been inducted into the Hall of Fame. As a result, the Dodgers did not retire his number for 30 years. But Valenzuela’s impact on the Dodgers community was so large, that the franchise decided to retire his jersey in 2023, despite not being a National Baseball Hall of Famer.

The Mexican southpaw won his first World Series title, the NL Rookie of the Year award, and the Cy Young award in 1981. The six-time All-Star pitcher was also a two-time Silver Slugger, making him one of the best-hitting pitchers in MLB history.

Valenzuela attracted the support of the Mexican and Latino community — especially in Los Angeles — for the Dodgers, a key piece of the fanbase that has lived on well past his playing years.

Roy Campanella, No. 39

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972, Roy Campanella was a superstar catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers for 10 seasons. He won five pennants and a World Series title in 1955.

Campanella was an eight-time All-Star and three-time NL MVP (1951, 1953, 1955). He hit a Brooklyn franchise record 142 RBIs and a career-high 41 home runs in 1953.

After a car accident left him paralyzed, Campanella’s 18-season career ended in 1957. The Dodgers retired his number in 1972, three years after he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Jackie Robinson, No. 42

Arguably the most influential athlete in history, Jackie Robinson was the first African American player to appear in an MLB game in 1947.

Robinson won the inaugural Rookie of the Year award and went on to win six pennants and the 1955 World Series title with the Brooklyn Dodgers. His .342 average won the National League batting title in 1949, which was the same year he won the NL MVP award.

The six-time NL All-Star was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962. Alongside Campanella and Koufax, Robinson was one of the first Dodgers to have his number retired.

Robinson’s number is also retired across all of MLB, and he’s recognized every year on April 15 when the entire league wears No. 42 to honor his legacy.

Don Drysdale, No. 53

Pitching for both the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, Don Drysdale was inducted into the Hall of Fame and had his number retired in 1984. Drysdale won three World Series titles and two pennants while playing for the Dodgers.

The 1962 Cy Young winner ranks in the top three of all Dodgers pitchers in career wins (209), strikeouts (2,486), innings pitched (3,432), games (518), and shutouts (49). Drysdale led the National League in strikeouts in back-to-back seasons in 1959 and 1960.

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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