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Jeff Passan, ESPN
Superutilityman Tommy Edman and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in settlement on a five-year, $74 million contract extension that can maintain the National League Championship Series MVP with the World Series champions by way of no less than 2029.
The staff introduced the deal on Friday.
Edman, 29, was acquired by the Dodgers on the commerce deadline this 12 months and distinguished himself together with his versatility. Playing middle subject and shortstop, the switch-hitting Edman thrived throughout the NLCS, driving in 11 runs, and adopted with a .988 OPS and 6 runs in 5 World Series video games.
The deal tears up the ultimate season of a two-year contract Edman beforehand signed and replaces it with one which runs from the 2025-29 seasons. The contract features a sixth-year membership choice for $13 million with a $3 million buyout and can give Edman a $17 million signing bonus, sources mentioned. About one-third of the general worth of the deal is deferred, in line with sources.
Edman’s extension comes on the heels of Los Angeles’ five-year, $182 million settlement with left-hander Blake Snell. Following their championship, the Dodgers had focused a front-of-the-rotation starter and hoped to increase Edman.
Doing so took new cash that exceeded the deal the Dodgers had beforehand given to superutilityman Chris Taylor, additionally a middle fielder and shortstop. In addition to the positional worth, Edman’s power-speed mixture appealed to the Dodgers, who obtained him from St. Louis in a three-way commerce through which they gave up infielders Miguel Vargas, Alexander Albertus and Jeral Perez.
Edman, who had been sidelined whereas recovering from proper wrist surgical procedure and an ankle subject earlier than debuting for the Dodgers in August, hit .237/.294/.417 with six residence runs, 20 RBIs and 6 stolen bases in 37 video games.
While he spent most of his postseason video games hitting within the Nos. 8 and 9 holes, Edman batted cleanup twice — in Games 4 and 6 of the NLCS, in opposition to left-handed starters — and drove in seven runs. During the common season, Edman hit .412/.418/.882 in 36 plate appearances as a right-handed hitter and .181/.256/.267 in 117 left-handed plate appearances. Over his profession, Edman’s OPS as a right-handed hitter is sort of 140 factors increased than left-handed.
With Mookie Betts set to maneuver from the outfield to the infield in 2025, the Dodgers might choose to begin Edman usually in middle subject. If they select to place Betts at second base, Edman additionally might play shortstop.
