Dodgers' Tommy Edman, a Utility Man, Shares Update on Recovery Post-Offseason Surgery
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers' journey to their second consecutive World Series victory came at a physical cost for several team members. Kiké Hernández and Tommy Edman underwent surgeries earlier this offseason, and Blake Snell recently disclosed managing left shoulder discomfort during the World Series.
Edman's surgery was to repair a ligament in his right ankle and remove bone spurs, an issue he had been dealing with since a rehab assignment in 2024. Despite being encouraged by his recovery progress, Edman is taking a cautious approach in Spring Training.
'I guess I am taking it somewhat slow just because I need to be patient to make sure once I get back to playing, I don't have any issues again,' Edman shared at DodgerFest. 'I think just with the ankle, it tends to be a slower recovery because of various reasons. Not much blood flow there, need to get back to having full range to do acceleration and all the stuff you do on a baseball field. But that's a really hard thing for us as baseball players, is to be patient and take our time.'
Edman is no longer in a walking boot and has started baseball activities in late January. The first full-squad workout of Dodgers Spring Training is scheduled for Tuesday, with their Cactus League opener on February 21.
Will Tommy Edman be ready for Opening Day?
The Dodgers have historically shown patience with players returning from injury or surgery, especially as they pursue a three-peat this year. As a result, Edman could be among the Dodgers not ready for the 2026 Opening Day.
'It's a possibility, yeah. I think it all depends on how the progression goes along,' he said of being in the lineup on March 26. 'I'm not putting that as a hard line in the sand. I am doing everything I can to be ready for Opening Day, but if it comes around to that time and my ankle is still 90%, not quite where I need it to be, I'm going to do my best to be patient with it and make sure I'm back to 100% and not deal with it for the rest of the year.'
This cautious approach is a testament to the Dodgers' commitment to player health and long-term success, even if it means missing the start of the season.
