Dodgers break franchise record for grand slams in a season

When Trea Turner clubbed his second grand slam of the weekend in the fifth inning Sunday, the Dodgers broke a franchise record for a single season with their 11th slam of the year.

The previous record was set back in 2004 with 10, including the walk-off grand slam by Steve Finley in the final series of the year to clinch the division. Turner hit the 10th of the year on Friday to tie the game and Sunday’s blast broke the game open while setting the new mark.

If you’re wondering what team owns the record in all of baseball, it’s shared by the Athletics (2000) and the Indians (2006) at 14 games apiece. Only six teams in total have ended their season with more than the Dodgers 11. Cleveland hit 12 in 1999, along with the Braves (1997), Cardinals (2000) and the White Sox (2008).

The key to setting a season-long record of this nature is getting them in bulk early, since the chances are limited. Only 207 of over 6,200 plate appearances came with the bases full of Dodgers and they had a .958 OPS, hitting .321/.362/.595 to drive in 168 runs.

Four of the 11 slams came in May, only the third time in franchise history the team hit four in a month. They hit four in May of 1951 and five in May of 2000.

Here they are in all their glory:

May 2, AJ Pollock on the road in Milwaukee

May 2, Matt Beaty on the road in Milwaukee

May 18, Gavin Lux at home vs Arizona

May 23, Gavin Lux on the road in San Francisco

June 2, Cody Bellinger at home vs St. Louis

June 27, Zach McKinstry at home vs Chicago (NL)

July 1, Max Muncy on the road in Washington

July 10, Justin Turner at home vs Arizona

July 10, Mookie Betts at home vs Arizona

October 1, Trea Turner at home vs Milwaukee

October 3, Trea Turner at home vs Milwaukee

Dodgers links

• The LA Times published nine reasons the Dodgers should be worried about playing the Cardinals.
• Mike Petriello over at MLB dot com highlights several Dodger relievers that could cement a title run.