Dodgers: Walker Buehler, Trea Turner Among 5 LA Players Named to 2021 All-MLB Team

The Los Angeles Dodgers led all Major League teams with five players named to the All-MLB team. The selections were announced Tuesday, and the Dodgers lead the charge. Max Scherzer and Walker Buehler were named All-MLB First-Team selections, while Trea Turner, Julio Urias, and Kenley Jansen were Second-Team selections.

Scherzer Elite

For Scherzer, it was his second career All-MLB selection after being named All-MLB First Team in 2019. The Dodgers acquired Scherzer at the trade deadline on July 30th, and he was virtually unhittable en route to the postseason for the Dodgers. He posted a 15-4 record with a 2.46 ERA (49 ER/179.1 IP), tallying 236 strikeouts against 36 walks in 30 starts. He was second in strikeouts and second in ERA in the NL, and as a Dodger, he went 11-0. He also recorded his 3,000th strikeout in a Dodger uniform.

Buehldog

Walker Buehler posted a 16-4 record with a 2.47 ERA (57 ER/207.2 IP) and 212 strikeouts in 33 starts while finishing 4th in Cy Young voting. Buehler also made his second career all-star team in 2021. He was NL Pitcher of the Month in July after compiling a perfect 3-0 record with 38 strikeouts, nine walks, and a 1.67 ERA over 32.1 innings pitched while permitting 20 hits and not allowing a home run in his five July starts. Buehler now has five seasons under his belt as a Dodger. He’s been as good as hoped the Dodgers hoped he would be when they drafted him from Vanderbilt in 2015.

Turner Power

Turner was part of the blockbuster trade that sent him and Scherzer to the Dodgers. Turner finished as the NL batting champion, posting a .328 average. He batted .338 as a Dodger. He hit 28 home runs in 148 games and posted a .911 OPS. Turner led the league in hits (195), average vs. left-handed pitching (.392), multi-hit games (58), infield hits (33), and total bases (319). He was selected for his first All-MLB selection in 2021 as well.

Julio, Julio, Juli-oooooo!

Urias was the first 20 game-winner since Scherzer did the same in 2016, and the first Dodger to win 20 games since Clayton Kershaw did it in 2014. Urías made a career-high 32 starts in 2021, going 20-3 with a 2.96 ERA and 195 strikeouts, and only 38 walks. Urias became the fourth Mexican-born pitcher to win 20 games, joining Fernando Valenzuela (1986), Teddy Higuera (1986), and Esteban Loiaza (2003). Urias set his career highs in virtually every category. He finished the second half of the 2021 season with a perfect 9-0 record and a 2.04 ERA.

Kenleyfornia

Dodger fans were delighted by Jansen’s resurgent year. In his 12th Dodger season, Jansen collected a nice 38 saves in 69 games. He tied Liam Hendriks for second in MLB lead in saves, posted a 2.22 ERA, and had his lowest H/9 since the 2016 season. If it was truly Jansen’s last season in Dodger blue, he went out with a terrific season.

The Future

Even with Scherzer and Jansen possibly wearing different uniforms in 2022, the Dodgers star power will not be lessened. The future is certainly bright. LA will almost certainly have another bunch of players on this list this time next year.