the los angeles dodgers or la dodgers are the professional baseball team based in los angeles, california. they complete in major league baseball (mlb). the team played in the west division of the national league. they play in dodger stadium. the team began play in brooklyn, new york, starting in 1883. the team had several informal nicknames over the years, including the "atlantics", the "bridegrooms", the "superbas" and the "robins". the name "dodgers" was first used in the 1890s. it was short for "trolley dodgers".