The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Center Fielder Tommy Edman to a five-year contract extension worth $74 million on Friday evening. He earned this lucrative contract extension to remain in Los Angeles for years to come, and a World Series title. He was a crucial part of the Dodgers playoff push as Edman was named NLCS MVP. He hit .407 in the NLCS against the New York Mets with 2 home runs and 11 RBI. Edman finished the MLB Playoffs 12th with a .328 batting average and tied for fourth with 13 RBI.
He came to Los Angeles at the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline as part of a three-team trade with the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox that sent both Edman and Pitcher Michael Kopech to the Dodgers. Los Angeles liked what they saw from the center fielder and rewarded him with a contract.
The center fielder’s playoff performance came as a surprise as he did not make his season debut until August 19 following his trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Edman started the season on the IL due to issues with his surgically repaired right wrist. He hit .237 with 6 home runs and 20 RBI over 37 regular season games in 2024. Will he continue to be a crucial part of a Dodgers team looking to create a dynasty?
Tommy Edman Career Summary
The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed on a contract extension with IF/OF Tommy Edman for five years for $74M through the 2029 season with a club option for the 2030 season.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 29, 2024
Edman had a non-descript Major League career before his spectacular playoff run. He debuted in 2019 with the St. Louis Cardinals when he hit a career-high .304. He has been one of the best defensive center fielders in the game and won a Gold Glove in 2022. Edman finished 10th in 2022 with a WAR of 6.3. He was third in the league with a Defensive WAR of 2.8 in 2022. Edman is a career .263 hitter with 59 home runs and 242 RBI. With a contract extension in tow, the center fielder will look to carry his playoff success at the plate into the 2025 regular season.
Final Thoughts
Edman’s contract extension reinforces the strategy of the Los Angeles Dodgers heading into next season. The team signed two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell to a contract earlier this week. The reigning NLCS MVP joins a stacked Dodgers lineup that includes Designated Hitter Shohei Ohtani, First Baseman Freddie Freeman, and Shortstop Mookie Betts. LA’s lineup was one of the league’s best during the regular season and they carried it into the MLB Postseason to a championship.
