Los Angeles Dodgers: Ranking all seven division winners

5. 2014: 94-68 .580 win percentage +6 NLW Standings

A year after winning their first playoff series in four years, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked ready to be contenders again. The team started out slow and at one point were 10 games out of first place as late as June 8th. But then the team found their game and by the end of the month, they were tied for first place. In fact, the team never trailed in the standings after July 27th.

This was a team of individual achievements, Clayton Kershaw was again the best pitcher in baseball, winning his second CY Young award in a row. Adrian Gonzalez led the league in runs batted in and Dee Gordon led the league in triples and stolen bases.

The team achieved something they had not since 1956 when Josh Beckett and Kershaw pitched no-hitters just a few weeks apart, giving them two for the year. They could hit as they were top-two across the slash line (BA, OBP, SLG, OPS), they could pitch as starters were 76-44 with a 3.20 ERA, they just couldn’t field.

The Dodgers played below-average defense, ranking second to last in errors in the NL and ninth in fielding percentage, the team finished the season strong winning six of their last even games but the momentum did not carry to the playoffs losing once again to the St. Louis Cardinals.