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How the Los Angeles Dodgers stack up against MLB’s greatest teams

By Bill Felber

Sep 22, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) celebrates with first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) and second baseman Gavin Lux (9) after hitting a walk-off single against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 22, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) celebrates with first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) and second baseman Gavin Lux (9) after hitting a walk-off single against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Yankees 1939 team photo
The 1939 New York Yankees. (first row) Warren “Buddy” Rosar, Charlie Keller, Spurgeon “Spud” Chandler, Jake Powell, coach Arthur Fletcher, manager Joe McCarthy, coach Earle Combs, coach John Schulte, Red Rolfe, Ellsworth “Babe” Dahlgren, Frank Crosetti, batboy Tim Sullivan, (second row) Irving “Bump” Hadley, Monte Pearson, Marius Russo, Lou Gehrig, George Selkirk, Bill Knickerbocker, trainer Doc Painter, (third row) Bill Dickey, Charles “Red” Ruffing, Joe DiMaggio, Oral Hildebrand, Steve Sundra, Paul Schreiber, Johnny Murphy, Vernon “Lefty” Gomez, Atley Donald, Tom Henrich, Arndt Jorgens. (Photo by: Kidwiler Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images) /

The final rank

When all five categories are considered, the 2022 Dodgers earn an average ordinal rank of 5.20, which is precisely mid-pack among the 11 teams. Here’s how they stand.

1              1939 New York Yankees                  4.20

2              1906 Chicago Cubs                           4.40

2              2001 Seattle Mariners                    4.40

4              1927 New York Yankees                 4.80

5              1902 Pittsburgh Pirates                  5.00

6              2022 Los Angeles Dodgers            5.20

7              1909 Pittsburgh Pirates                  7.00

8              1907 Chicago Cubs                           7.40

9              1954 Cleveland Indians                   7.60

10           1998 New York Yankees                  7.80

11           1931 Philadelphia Athletics            8.00

The 1939 Yankees did not lead any of the five categories. But they were the only team to rank sixth or higher in all five, giving them a narrow edge in ordinal rank over the 1906 Cubs and 2001 Mariners.

There is irony in the fact that the 1906 Cubs and 2001 Mariners end up tied for second since, with 116 victories each, they are the two winningest teams in history. The Cubs have the better percentage, having played 10 fewer games than the Mariners.

Although the 2022 Dodgers came in sixth, they are only one ordinal point behind the 1939 Yankees, which is less of a margin than separates them from the team right behind them, the 1909 Pirates.

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