Ex-Dodgers star Steve Garvey running for California Senate

Steve Garvey hit 272 home runs in his big league baseball career.

Now the former Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres star is swinging for the fences one more time as a candidate for US Senate from his adopted home state.

The 10-time All-Star, who helped propel the Dodgers past the Yankees in the 1981 World Series, announced Tuesday that he is running as a Republican for the seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) last month.

“Our campaign is focused on quality-of-life issues, public safety, and education,” Garvey said in a statement. “As a US Senator, I will serve with commonsense, compassion, and will work to build consensus to benefit all of the people of California.”

Garvey, 74, anchored the legendary Dodgers infield of the 1970s that featured Davy Lopes at second base, Bill Russell at shortstop and Ron Cey at third base — winning the National League Most Valuable Player award in 1974 and being named MVP of the National League Championship Series in 1978.

He signed with the Padres as a free agent ahead of the 1983 season and was named MVP of the NLCS the following year as San Diego won its first pennant.

“I’ve been fortunate to wear many hats in my life – from professional athlete to businessman to philanthropist. But the one thing that has remained consistent is my love for this great state and my desire to make a difference,” Garvey said Tuesday.

“In baseball, it’s not about the individual; it’s about the team. I believe the same holds true for politics. It’s time we come together, find common ground, and work towards a brighter future.”

The race to succeed Feinstein, who died Sept. 29 at the age of 90, is already shaping up to be one of the most expensive contests of the 2024 cycle, if not ever.

Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee have jumped into the race on the Democratic side.

Under California’s primary system, the top two vote-getters will square off in the November general election, even if both are from the same party. 

The so-called “jungle primary” system means Garvey could be squeezed out of the race even if he gets the most votes of any other Republican candidate.

That’s exactly what happened in 2016, when then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris fended off then-Rep. Loretta Sanchez, a fellow Democrat, to win a Senate seat.

Former EMILY’s List President Laphonza Butler has been sworn in as Feinstein’s fill-in after being appointed to the seat by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Butler also has the option to vie for the seat as well.

California’s primary is slated for March 5 of next year.

Nationally, heading into the 2024 election cycle, Senate Democrats find themselves facing an unfavorable map.

They will have to defend 20 seats plus three held by Democratic-aligned independents.

Republicans only have to protect 11.