Cody Snavely
The offseason rumor mill has been working overtime the last several days, with multiple reports about various players being connected to the Los Angeles Dodgers, such as top free agent Juan Soto and starting pitchers Blake Snell and Corbin Burnes.
However, the offseason isn’t always about trying to add or retain players in free agency; it is also a perfect time to extend players on your roster and lock them up for the foreseeable future.
According to Major League Baseball insider Jon Morosi, the Los Angeles Dodgers have had preliminary discussions with utilityman Tommy Edman‘s camp about a possible extension.
Edman, 29, is entering the final year of a two-year $16.5 million deal that he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals to avoid arbitration after the 2023 season, and will have a base salary of $9.5 million for the 2025 season for Los Angeles.
Acquired at the trade deadline this past season, Edman was a critical piece for the Dodgers down the stretch. Edman’s versatility allowed him to play a plethora of positions, but upon his move to Los Angeles, he switched between center field and shortstop.
Edman, a switch hitter, also gave the Dodgers flexibility in the lineup, allowing him to not be platooned and start against both lefties and righties. However, Edman has been a lefty smasher throughout his career, and he showcased it with the Dodgers this season, hitting .412/.417/.882 with a 1.299 OPS and 250 wRC+ in thirty-four at-bats.
During October, Edman stole the show in the National League Championship Series, winning the Most Valuable Player Award. Edman had a .407 average in the series, a hit in all six games — including four for extra bases — and eleven RBIs to match Corey Seager’s club record in any round of the postseason since the stat became official in 1920.
Edman would add on in the World Series, hitting a go-ahead home run in game two of the World Series off New York Yankees lefty Carlos Rodón and being a part of that pivotal fifth inning in game five.
I’ve long argued that Tommy Edman should become the super-utility plug-and-play guy Chris Taylor used to be. Edman’s versatility gives the Dodgers much-needed flexibility, as he can play both middle infield positions and the entire outfield.
The Dodgers got a short look at Edman during the regular season, as when the team acquired him at the deadline, Edman was on the 60-day injured list.
In his shirt time in Los Angeles, Edman has been invaluable, and it makes sense why the Dodgers would want to lock the 29-year-old up for the next few years, especially with most of the prospects in the pipeline being pitchers.
In terms of what a deal could look like, MLB Trade Rumors suggested that Edman could demand what Chris Taylor got, which was a four-year, $60 million deal after the 2021 season.
However, given how that contract has aged over the last two seasons, the Dodgers may be reluctant to offer that type of guaranteed money over a three-year commitment.
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