Dodgers Linked to Gold Glove Utility Man as Trade Deadline Target
The Los Angeles Dodgers will be focused on adding a bat as the July 30 trade deadline gets closer.
More news: White Sox Reportedly Willing to Trade Luis Robert Jr, Should Dodgers Go All-In?
The top of the lineup hasn’t been an issue, with Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith having the potential to make up one of the best top fours in Major League Baseball history.
Then there’s Teoscar Hernández, who’s been an incredible addition to the L.A. lineup this season.
However, after that, there’s a huge drop-off.
Max Muncy’s been sidelined with an oblique, and has no timetable for a return. Then, there’s been a revolving door of players that includes Gavin Lux, Chris Taylor, Miguel Rojas, Kiké Hernández, Jason Heyward, Andy Pages, and James Outman, who was optioned to Triple-A.
Only Rojas and Pages have been impressive at the plate, and at some point, the Dodgers may decide it’s time to stop waiting around and instead make a move for another bat — and the New York Post’s Jon Heyman brought up an interesting name.
Heyman says the Dodgers could target Cardinals utility man Tommy Edman, if St. Louis decides to become a seller.
Edman, 29, is in his sixth year at the MLB level, but hasn’t played due to a wrist injury. He’s currently on the 60-day injured list, but is expected to be back before the trade deadline.
Edman has played 135-plus games in each of the last three seasons, and hit .248 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs in 2023.
He has a career slash line of .265/.319/.408 with an OPS of .726, and has played all over the diamond at second base, third base, shortstop, and all three outfield spots. Edman even won a Gold Glove at second base in 2021.
Edman is under another year of team control, and could be a weapon for L.A. as a switch-hitting utility man.
Photo Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
That wrist injury is cause for concern.
Dodgers team doctors would need to say he’s 100%!
1st) Cards ain’t selling! They’re a proud franchise
2nd) we would have to give up more than he’s worth, we’d get peeled in the long run!
3rd) Edman would be starting his season in for us , basically be in spring training mode…. We don’t need a guy who could easily struggle. We already have like 5 of em! Max will be back eventually I guess?? We do need Jazz. Ppl tell me no, but he’s a switch hitter, fast, great D to go along with his hit skills. He’d need to get his ego in check fast! Be a gamble! O’Neil looks like the best bet by far! Pham if desperate.
The Dodgers already have 4 Edmans..
They will have to wait to get a top tier shortstop in the offseason.Mookie is good at short but far from great and his offensive numbers are falling and will continue to fall if not put back in right where he and the team will EXCEL.Put Rojas in there for now while he’s HITTING, when Max gets back the lineup will be great with Pages,and 270+ hitting Rojas
Kike Hernandez and Chris Taylor are utility players. Vargas is sort of a utility player. Are the Dodgers supposed to cut one of them for Edman? Not much of a gain there. They need an outfielder who can hit .800 OPS this year [Luis Robert], and then Soto next year. They do lose some salary at the end of this year and again after the 2025 season, making it possible to sign Soto. Buehler (free agent) Kershaw (if he retires) Joe Kelly ($9 million), Hudson (if he retires) Heyward if he is not resigned ($9 million) and Teoscar ($23 million, if they don’t resign him) [That’s $70 million freed up, $50 million if they resign Teoscar] then after 2025 Taylor ($15 million) and Muncy ($13 million) [another $28 million freed up]. That makes it possible to sign Soto within budget. Dustin May, Gonsolin, Kyle Hurt, Landon Knack plug any pitching holes in 2025, at almost no cost above the 2024 payroll, so pitching should not be a problem area, especially if they get Sasaki. That leaves 1 or 2 infield spots to fix in 2025-2026.
First thing the Dodgers need to figure out is, What in the hell do we do with KT3, Chris Taylor. If he is DFA’d it is a $25M hit. If he is not DFA’d it is a $25M hit and a wasted roster spot. Time to show him the door if he will not voluntarily go to OKC.