Playoff hero Edman re-ups with Dodgers for five years
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LOS ANGELES -- Before acquiring Tommy Edman in a three-team deal in July, the Dodgers had been pursuing the superutility man for years. Now, they made sure Edman won’t get away for the foreseeable future.
Edman and the Dodgers agreed to a five-year, $74 million extension, the club announced on Friday. Multiple sources confirmed to MLB.com that the deal runs through the 2029 season with a club option in '30. Edman, who had been signed through 2025 with a two-year, $16.5 million deal from the Cardinals, will receive a $17 million signing bonus.
Over the last couple months of the 2024 season, Edman quickly inserted himself as an integral part of the Dodgers’ World Series team. Edman’s versatility proved beneficial, slotting in at center field and shortstop when needed.
Offensively, Edman also surpassed expectations. With some mechanical changes, the switch-hitter posted an .829 OPS with six home runs and six stolen bases in the first 29 games with Los Angeles.
That only got better in the postseason, where he hit .328 with two homers and five stolen bases. Edman had a 1.022 OPS in the National League Championship Series against the Mets, earning him Most Valuable Player honors in the NLCS.
After winning a World Series, the Dodgers are now committed to put together a core group of players that can help them continue their success. The Dodgers wasted no time this offseason, landing top free-agent target Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million deal on Monday and now extending Edman to a long-term deal.
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With Mookie Betts and Gavin Lux in the infield, Edman will likely see the majority of his time in center field next season. Of course, if the Dodgers have some injuries, Edman is more than capable of sliding in as the everyday shortstop, which turned out to be the case down the stretch last season.
The Dodgers have leaned on utilitymen in the past, as Chris Taylor and Kiké Hernández were both key pieces of the roster for multiple seasons. But with Taylor on the last year of his current contract and Hernández a free agent, the Dodgers were able to lock up their newest utilityman on Friday.