PHOENIX — As he continues to recover from offseason ankle surgery, Los Angeles Dodgers utilityman Tommy Edman will not be ready for Opening Day, manager Dave Roberts said Monday, and will start the season on the injured list.
There is no timetable as to when Edman could be cleared to play.
“Just looking as to where his ankle is at, trying to play the long view,” Roberts said. “You don’t want to have any regression or setbacks, so how can we be methodical with it. For me, knowing he’s just taking swings, isn’t up to full speed doing the baseball stuff, it takes a lot to get your body into baseball shape. We’re not going to rush it. Want to put him in the best position.”
Edman underwent surgery on his right ankle in November. He had dealt with lingering soreness since the middle of 2024, when he sprained it on a rehab assignment with the St. Louis Cardinals shortly before he was traded to Los Angeles. While he managed to play through it for most of the 2025 season, he was limited defensively, with Roberts refraining from playing Edman in center field.
But Edman’s true value is in his versatility and ability to play around the diamond. The Dodgers don’t want to rush him back if he is limited defensively. While Edman was projected to be the Dodgers’ starting second baseman, the organization prefers to use him as a super-utility player, both as a center fielder and a backup shortstop when Mookie Betts isn’t available.
The Dodgers also noticed a drop-off in Edman’s offensive production throughout 2025, something those within the organization attribute to overcompensation. Edman hit .248 with a .705 OPS over 137 games in 2023, his last fully healthy season. In 2025, those numbers dropped to .225 and .665.
Edman has reported to spring training and has progressed to taking swings, but the Dodgers are not sure how long it will take for Edman to ramp up to full baseball activity. Hyeseong Kim, Alex Freeland and Miguel Rojas are options at second base. Los Angeles also signed infielder Santiago Espinal to a minor-league deal Monday. Espinal will report to big-league camp.
Roberts will look for offensive improvements from both Kim and Freeland throughout the spring as the competition for second base begins. Neither had particularly strong seasons at the plate last year, though Kim compiled a strong baseline heading into the new season with a .280 average and .385 slugging percentage over 71 games. Freeland hit just .190 with a .601 OPS in his 29 total games last year.
“Freeland, it was tough for him because it was his first opportunity playing in the big leagues, and I think at times the game sped up on him,” Roberts said. “But he’s a guy that doesn’t need to carry an offense, so I want to see the quality of (at-bats) and keep him moving around the diamond.
“Hyeseong, the adjustability of the high ball, the spin, he’s going to be better here,” Roberts added. “The surface line was fine. I thought he had a great year for the opportunities he was given. I expect him to have more opportunities this year.”
Roberts does need to name a full-time starting second baseman in Edman’s absence. He could elect to platoon Kim or Freeland with Rojas. That decision won’t come until much later this spring, with the majority of the roster easing into spring workouts and games after last year’s extended postseason run.