The Los Angeles Dodgers announced a huge injury update on Monday that was expected, but not ideal. Super-utilty-man Tommy Edman was a sparkplug for the Dodgers over the last two seasons, but he won’t be ready for MLB Opening Day next month, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. Edman is dealing with a lingering ankle recovery, and the team is smartly slow-rolling the process.
Manager Dave Roberts confirmed at spring training that Edman will begin the season on the injured list. The news isn’t exactly shocking — Edman’s ankle had been a problem throughout the 2025 season — but it still stings for a Dodgers’ roster chasing history. Jack Harris of the California Post confirmed the timeline tracks with recovery from offseason surgery, calling it “not much of a surprise.”
Tommy Edman to Start 2026 on Los Angeles Dodgers’ Injured List
Edman underwent a right ankle debridement procedure after a 2025 season in which the ankle limited him to just 97 games. GM Brandon Gomes acknowledged the severity at the time, saying “this was clearly bothering him for a while,” and crediting Edman for gutting through the pain all year.
Edman signed a five-year, $74 million deal after the 2024 World Series, after an NLCS MVP performance in which he hit .407 with 11 RBIs.
With Edman sidelined, the Dodgers will likely turn to Miguel Rojas to split reps at second base while young options like Alex Freeland and Hyeseong Kim could be in the mix, according to Harris.
When Could Tommy Edman Return to the Dodgers?
There’s no firm date yet, and that’s by design. Edman’s recovery is checkpoint-based — if the ankle keeps responding well, a mid-to-late April return feels realistic based on where he was physically at DodgerFest.
The 30-year-old slashed just .225/.274/.382 with 13 home runs in 97 games last season while battling the ankle all year, a far cry from the guy who posted a 6.2 WAR campaign with St. Louis in 2022. A healthy Edman changes the entire complexion of this historically loaded roster — and the Dodgers know it.
Los Angeles Dodgers Odds to Win World Series
The Dodgers are still massive favorites to win the World Series. Earlier this winter, FanGraphs calculated odds to win the championship, and the Dodgers were listed at a borderline historic number.
Those odds aren’t shocking after a stacked organization was willing to spend even more, bringing in the biggest hot stove name, Kyle Tucker, and tightening up the bullpen with Edwin Diaz.
Dodgers Announce Huge Injury News at Spring Training