The Dodgers and super-utility man Tommy Edman have agreed to a five-year $74MM extension that runs from 2025 to 2029 and accommodates a membership choice for the 2030 season, the crew has introduced. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was first with the settlement. Per Passan, the choice for 2030 is value $13MM and comes with a $3MM buyout. The deal features a $17MM signing bonus, and roughly a 3rd of the cash is deferred. Edman was already beneath contract for 2025 at a fee of $9.5MM, so this deal provides 4 years and $64.5MM when it comes to new cash.
The membership was reportedly within the midst of “preliminary” discussions relating to an extension with Edman’s camp final week, and people talks have now come to fruition. Edman, 29, was acquired by the Dodgers from the Cardinals alongside White Sox right-hander Michael Kopech in a three-team, eight-player commerce that additionally despatched Tommy Pham and Erick Fedde to the Cardinals and Miguel Vargas to the White Sox simply previous to this summer time’s commerce deadline. On the time of the deal, Edman hadn’t appeared in an enormous league recreation following setbacks associated to wrist surgical procedure he underwent throughout the 2023 offseason. Whereas he finally didn’t make his Dodgers debut till August 19, the switch-hitter made an instantaneous impression with the membership as he seamlessly shifted between middle subject and shortstop as wanted down the stretch and into the postseason, all whereas hitting a decent .237/.294/.417 (98 wRC+) within the common season and a very good .328/.354/.508 throughout a torrid playoff run that earned him the NLCS MVP award.
Evidently, 53 video games between common season play and the postseason was all that the Dodgers wanted to determine that Edman was a participant they needed to have on the crew long-term. The utility man was due $9.5MM getting into his closing yr earlier than free company, which means that the deal truly ensures Edman $64.5MM over 4 years when it comes to new cash, although the membership choice nonetheless provides the Dodgers an additional 5 years of management over Edman, who will play the 2030 season on the age of 35. Turning again to the assured years, this deal theoretically will increase the common annual worth of Edman’s deal from $9.5MM to $14.8MM for the 2025 season, although it’s unclear the place the ultimate AAV calculation for the extension will land as soon as the reported deferrals have been accounted for.
By conserving Edman within the fold long-term, the Dodgers will retain a versatile participant who can play everywhere in the diamond and shift between the infield and outfield with minimal points primarily based on the wants of the membership. That’s an archetype of participant the membership has coveted lately, as evidenced by their dedication to veteran utility man Chris Taylor and frequent offers with utility man Enrique Hernandez. Whereas Hernandez is presently a free agent and Taylor doesn’t determine to be an everyday fixture within the membership’s lineup for 2025, Edman is joined by Mookie Betts as a participant who affords the Dodgers loads of flexibility of their lineup development. A six-time Gold Glove winner in proper subject, Betts has in current seasons begun to play an growing quantity of second base and even shortstop, and the membership seemingly plans to play him on the infield grime once more in 2025.
With Betts, Gavin Lux, and Miguel Rojas poised to deal with the center infield for the Dodgers subsequent yr, that might depart Edman to patrol middle subject for the Dodgers frequently subsequent yr. It’s a place he solely picked up frequently in 2023, however he’s been undeniably efficient since shifting there: he posted +1 Outs Above Common on the place in simply 188 innings with the Dodgers this yr after reaching a superb +5 mark in 330 innings in middle for the Cardinals in 2023. If he can preserve that degree of defensive prowess on the place over a full season, Edman’s league common bat ought to make him a effectively above common common general for the Dodgers in 2025.
It’s already been a busy offseason for the Dodgers, as at the moment’s Edman extension pairs with their blockbuster five-year deal with lefty Blake Snell earlier this week. With room to enhance within the outfielder corners, holes to fill within the bullpen, and longtime franchise face Clayton Kershaw as of but unsigned, there figures to be a lot extra on president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman’s to-do listing this winter. Having Edman’s plus defensive means locked into middle subject for the foreseeable future might make the membership much more snug pursuing offensive upgrades within the outfield corners. They’ve already been linked to nook bats with out a lot defensive prowess similar to Teoscar Hernandez and even Juan Soto, each of whom are rumored targets for L.A. this winter and would certainly admire being flanked by a middle fielder of Edman’s caliber.
