Jim Thome comes to the Dodgers with 564 career home runs, the most by any player ever acquired by the club. Here is a look at every player with 300 or more career home runs that became a Dodger, with their numbers in blue:
Player | Age | HR Before | Dodger HR | PA | BA/OBP/SLG | OPS+ |
JIm Thome | 38 | 564 | ??? | ?? | ??? | ??? |
Manny Ramirez | 36 | 510 | 32 | 561 | .345/.453/.631 | 182 |
Eddie Murray* | 41 | 504 | 0 | 9 | .286/.444/.286 | 103 |
Frank Robinson | 36 | 503 | 6 | 405 | .251/.353/.442 | 127 |
Fred McGriff | 39 | 478 | 13 | 329 | .249/.322/.428 | 99 |
Andruw Jones | 31 | 368 | 3 | 238 | .158/.256/.249 | 34 |
Boog Powell | 35 | 339 | 0 | 53 | .244/.415/.244 | 83 |
Eddie Murray* | 33 | 333 | 65 | 1974 | .278/.359/.440 | 125 |
Luis Gonzalez | 39 | 331 | 15 | 526 | .278/.359/.433 | 101 |
Jeff Kent | 37 | 302 | 75 | 2146 | .291/.367/.479 | 118 |
*Eddie Murray was actually acquired twice with over 300 home runs -- once in 1989 and again in 1997.
Jones and Powell cratered after joining the Dodgers, but the rest were reasonably productive wearing Dodger Blue. The Hall of Famers -- and I'm including Manny Ramirez here -- in the group all performed very well after joining the Dodgers. But Jim Thome, Hall of Fame resume or not, doesn't have to put up huge numbers to succeed.
Jim Thome won't be playing regularly. His job is to be the big bopper off the bench. The Dodgers gave up a non-prospect in Justin Fuller to get him If Thome can get a big hit here or there, especially in the playoffs, this trade is a sizable win for the Dodgers.