Los Angeles Dodgers New Acquisition Nearing Return

Jason Burke | Aug 3, 2024

Aug 8, 2023; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Tommy Edman (19) throws the ball to first base for a double play during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

OAKLAND -- Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired former Stanford baseball player Tommy Edman from the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-team deal that also netted the Dodgers Michael Kopech from the Chicago White Sox.

Edman has been on the mend all year after receiving offseason wrist surgery and dealing with an ankle sprain. The 29-year-old has been a solid big league player in five seasons with the Cardinals, hitting .265 with a .319 OBP and a 99 wRC+, which is just a tick below league average. With so many Dodgers out of the lineup due to injury, Edman would help add some length to the group.

On Friday in Oakland, L.A. manager Dave Roberts provided reporters with a positive update on Edman's status. "Tommy's gonna do a sim game on Thursday at the ballpark along with Mookie [Betts] and [Max] Muncy. I think after that he'll go out on a rehab assignment to play some defense. Then I think that Tommy would join us soon after that."

Roberts also said that playing in a sim game is a "big step" and that Edman swung the bat on Thursday and felt good coming out of that. He also swung again on Friday and felt good then, too.

With the Dodgers just four games up on the surging Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West entering play on Saturday, the team may not necessarily rush Edman's rehab process, but they may welcome him back to the clubhouse as soon as they feel he's good to go.

When Edman returns, he is expected to play in center field, which would move Andy Pages to right field and make him a platoon partner with Jason Heyward, according to MLB.com's Juan Toribio. He grades out as a plus defender in center, racking up +5 Outs Above Average last year per Statcast, but he also has plenty of experience at shortstop as well, if the Dodgers wanted to move Betts back to the outfield at some point. Edman also won a Gold Glove at second base in 2021. In essence, he can be slotted into any number of positions when healthy and provide solid defense with a league average bat to give the Dodgers their best offensive and defensive alignment.

The addition of Kevin Kiermaier to the roster on Friday brings a three-time Gold Glove winner into the mix in center, and he got the start on Friday night, but was removed in the seventh inning with Los Angeles down 6-2 at the time.

The Dodgers should be getting some reinforcements back before long, and former Stanford Cardinal Tommy Edman's versatility could prove to be invaluable to the Dodgers down the stretch.