The Los Angeles Dodgers have been a fan of versatility for years. So when the opportunity to trade for Tommy Edman presented itself, there was no hesitation.
Edman is the ideal Swiss Army Knife for the Dodgers. He can play all three outfield and three infield positions and he excels at the up-the-middle spots — shortstop, second base, and center field.
He’s also a switch hitter and historically has been successful from both sides of the plate.
Switch hitting is an art form that is dying and Edman acknowledged that in his pregame press conference on Thursday at Citi Field before Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.
“I think it’s dying out because it’s really hard,” he said. “You’ve got two completely different swings and it’s hard to manage one swing as it is.”
Edman’s history with switch hitting dates back to his childhood playing Little League. He would hop in the box left-handed from time to time and really started taking it seriously before his freshman year of high school.
“Actually went away from it my sophomore and junior year,” he continued. “After I committed, during the summer of my junior year, the coaches — my college coaches said, hey, why don’t you try switch hitting again. I think it will be a valuable asset to you.
“I ended up switching my senior year of high school and did well and just kept doing it ever since.”
His preparation as a major league switch hitter is intense, but the extra work has paid off, as he is 9-for-28 in eight postseason games with five runs driven in and three runs scored.
“Yeah, there’s a lot,” Edman said about studying in the age of analytics. “Definitely have to put in a little more work because you’ve got two sides to manage. But I think it’s helped out and paid off.
“There’s some right-handed pitchers that I’ll face lefty. I’m glad I don’t have to face this guy right-handed. Same thing with lefty as well.”
Edman is in the first year of his two-year, $16.5-million contract with the Dodgers that runs through 2025. He isn’t considered a power hitter and spends most of his time in the seventh or eighth spot in the lineup.
But, his 5-foot-10, 193-pound frame packs a punch.
During a two-game span against the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 10-11, Edman hit four homers, including one from each side of the plate in the latter game.
For the time being, Edman is the Dodgers starting shortstop with Miguel Rojas out with an injury.
“It’s very cool to be valued by one of the greatest organizations in baseball, and now, looking at it, I kind of see how it makes sense, knowing the versatility I have and how the Dodgers prioritize versatility,” Edman said. “It’s been fun. I feel like I fit in well here. And hopefully I’ll continue to contribute at the level that I’ve been.”
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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19 Responses
This is such an interesting insight from Tommy Edman! It’s incredible to think about how his journey to becoming a switch hitter has influenced his game. Can’t wait to see how this will play out for him with the Dodgers this season!
Really enjoyed hearing Tommy Edman share his perspective—switch hitting clearly shaped his approach to the game in a unique way. Excited to watch how he brings that versatility to the Dodgers lineup this year
It’s fascinating to hear about Tommy Edman’s journey to becoming a switch hitter! His perspective on how that decision evolved really adds depth to his game. Can’t wait to see how this impacts his performance with the Dodgers!
This is such an interesting insight into Tommy Edman’s journey! It’s amazing how becoming a switch hitter can change a player’s dynamics in the game. I can’t wait to see how this will impact his performance for the Dodgers this season!
Great insight into Tommy Edman’s journey as a switch hitter! It’s fascinating to see how his approach evolved over time. I’m excited to see how this skill adds to the Dodgers’ lineup! Go Blue!
Great insight into Tommy Edman’s journey! It’s fascinating to hear how he embraced switch hitting and what that added to his game. I can’t wait to see how this skill develops further with the Dodgers!
What an interesting transition for Tommy Edman! It’s fascinating to hear how he developed his switch-hitting skills. I can’t wait to see how this will impact his performance with the Dodgers this season!
Fascinating insight from Tommy Edman! It’s always interesting to hear how players evolve their skill sets. I love how switch hitting can add a new dynamic to a player’s approach at the plate. Can’t wait to see how this impacts his game moving forward!
I totally agree! What is the biggest way you think his switch hitting can help the Dodgers?
What an interesting insight from Tommy Edman! It’s fascinating to hear about the moment that shaped his hitting approach. Switch-hitting adds such versatility to a player’s game, and it’s cool to see how it has worked out for him. Can’t wait to see how this impacts his performance with the Dodgers!
Really interesting insight from Edman! It’s fascinating to see how players develop their skills. Switch hitting can be a game-changer, and I can’t wait to see how this impacts his performance in the upcoming season.
Really interesting insight from Tommy Edman! It’s fascinating to hear how he made the switch to being a switch hitter. This adds a new layer to his game, and I can’t wait to see how it impacts his performance this season. Great post!
This is such an interesting insight from Tommy Edman! It’s always fascinating to hear how players adjust their game and develop new skills. I can’t wait to see how this impacts his performance on the field this season! Go Dodgers!
This is such an interesting insight from Tommy Edman! It’s fascinating to see how players develop their skills and adapt their game. I can’t wait to see how his switch-hitting will play out for the Dodgers this season!
This is such an interesting insight into Tommy Edman’s journey as a switch hitter! It’s always fascinating to hear how players develop their skills. I can’t wait to see how this versatility plays out for him and the Dodgers this season!
This is such an interesting insight into Tommy Edman’s journey! It’s amazing to see how his transition to becoming a switch hitter has impacted his game. Can’t wait to see how this development plays out for the Dodgers!
Great insight from Tommy Edman! It’s fascinating to hear about his journey to becoming a switch hitter. I love how it adds versatility to his game. Can’t wait to see how this impacts the Dodgers lineup!
Great insight into Tommy Edman’s journey as a switch hitter! It’s fascinating to hear how he developed that skill and how it has impacted his game. Can’t wait to see how it plays out for him with the Dodgers this season!
What a fascinating story about Tommy Edman’s development as a switch-hitter. The dedication and adaptability required to master hitting from both sides of the plate is truly impressive. It will be exciting to see how these skills contribute to his success with the Dodgers and help him make an even bigger impact this season. Thanks for sharing this insightful look into his journey!