Tommy Edman’s sprained right ankle has limited him for long stretches this season, which has essentially limited him to second base this postseason. That removes an option for center field, which has been
occupied all October by a struggling Andy Pages.
Edman’s ability to play both the middle infield and center field was a huge boost to the Dodgers after the 2024 trade deadline, as he alternated between shortstop and center field during the team’s championship run, and was named NLCS MVP. The Dodgers were so enamored with his versatility that they signed him to a five-year, $74-million contract extension in December.
Two injured-list stints for the right ankle sidelined Edman for 49 games during the regular season, and he didn’t play the field for the last four games of the regular season after aggravating the injury. Edman’s ankle has improved enough that he has started 10 of 11 games this postseason, including each of the last nine games and every inning of the last eight contests. But they’ve all been at second base.
“Part of Tommy’s value is his versatility and his willingness to do anything on the diamond,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters at Rogers Centre on Saturday. “With the ankle, it was made clear to me that at second base is the best way to keep him on the field and healthy. So we’ve done that, he’s been healthy, he’s performed.”
Edman has a seven-game hit streak going into Game 2, and is hitting .289/.325/.474 with a 122 wRC+ this postseason. That’s in stark contrast to Pages, who three hits in 39 at-bats with a double, 11 strikeouts, and two times hit by a pitch, hitting just .077/.122/.103 this postseason.
Edman on Saturday in Toronto was asked if the ankle would require surgery.
“We’ll probably evaluate that after the season’s over. For now, I think just playing the rest of the games of the World Series will be totally fine. It’s actually improved a good amount throughout the postseason,” Edman said during pregame availability prior to Game 2 of the World Series. “It feels like it’s in a really good spot now. But, yeah, that’s something we’ll talk about in the off-season.”
With Edman not an option in center field, other candidates for the position include Kiké Hernández, who has started every game this postseason in either left field or at third base, and Hyeseong Kim, who has been active for all 11 games this postseason but only appeared once, as a pinch-runner, and is much better defensively as an infielder. Hernández has only played 38 innings in center field this season in eight games, including three starts, only once since June.
“He’s probably played a handful of innings in center field all year, and Andy’s been plus in center field. So when you’re in the middle of the diamond, the defense certainly matters. But so does the offense,” Roberts said. “So I think for me it’s trying to weigh it all and sum it up, but it’s not Andy’s sole responsibility as far as the offensive inconsistencies. I just refuse to put that on a nine hitter.”
Roberts was also asked if he thought about benching Pages, which would likely mean Hernández in center and Alex Call in left.
“I have contemplated other decisions. I’m keeping a close eye on it. But yeah, I mean, I still need to see some kind of uptick in consistency of performance,” Roberts said. “So when and if I decide to change — I haven’t decided that, but I’m being mindful.”
