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 staff 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. $25MM will likely be deferred and paid out over a span of ten years, beginning 5 years after the deal is full, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic (X hyperlink). Edman was already below contract for 2025 at a charge of $9.5MM, so this deal provides 4 years and $64.5MM by way of 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 sport following setbacks associated to wrist surgical procedure he underwent through the 2023 offseason. Whereas he in the end 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 area 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 wished to have on the staff long-term. The utility man was due $9.5MM getting into his last yr earlier than free company, that means that the deal really ensures Edman $64.5MM over 4 years by way of 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 based mostly 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 at present 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 gives the Dodgers loads of flexibility of their lineup development. A six-time Gold Glove winner in proper area, Betts has in latest seasons begun to play an rising quantity of second base and even shortstop, and the membership seemingly plans to play him on the infield filth once more in 2025.
With Betts, Gavin Lux, and Miguel Rojas poised to deal with the center infield for the Dodgers subsequent yr, that would depart Edman to patrol middle area 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 wonderful +5 mark in 330 innings in middle for the Cardinals in 2023. If he can keep that stage of defensive prowess on the place over a full season, Edman’s league common bat ought to make him a properly above common common general for the Dodgers in 2025.
It’s already been a busy offseason for the Dodgers, as immediately’s Edman extension pairs with their blockbuster five-year take care of 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 loads extra on president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman’s to-do record this winter. Having Edman’s plus defensive capability locked into middle area for the foreseeable future may make the membership much more comfy pursuing offensive upgrades within the outfield corners. They’ve already been linked to nook bats with out a lot defensive prowess akin 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.
