From utility man to MVP as Dodgers reach the World Series

LOS ANGELES – When the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Tommy Edman just before the trade deadline in July, the utility man didn’t know what his role would be with his new team.

He had not played a single game when he recovered from a wrist injury and joined a crowded squad full of boys trying to find playing time themselves.

Flash forward to Sunday night at Dodger Stadium and he was the one to hoist the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Trophy as Los Angeles clinched its spot in the 2024 World Series.

In an insult-heavy series, it was the boy from Southern California who consistently took the spotlight. Edman hit .407 in the NLCS with 11 hits – at least one in all six games – one home run and 11 RBI, which tied a franchise postseason record.

“I think Tommy is clearly the MVP,” Shohei Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “He’s doing things – not just this whole postseason – but during the regular season and contributing in places where it doesn’t really show up in the stats.”

Sure, his regular season was limited to just 37 games, but Edman didn’t break out in the less than two months he played. He hit just .237 and his OBP of .294 was his first season under .300.

But when it came time for the postseason, Edman shook off the rust and showed up not only when it mattered, but when he needed to.

Freddie Freeman was still dealing with an ankle injury that kept him out of games and clearly affected him when he was on the field. National League Divisional Series star Teoscar Hernandez played his first five games without a goal.

Fortunately, Edman provided a dangerous at bat. He went from starting the series last in the lineup to clearing the at-bats in the NLCS clincher. Edman scored the first four points of the game to give Los Angeles a lead it would never relinquish.

Perhaps the most impressive stat for Edman came after the two-run homer in the third inning, he went 5-for-7 with nine RBI when hitting with runners in scoring position in the series. By the end of Game 6, he was 5-for-10 in the series with RISP, still a remarkable performance that will often lead to success.

“I just kept getting up with guys on base and had a lot of opportunities to drive in runs,” Edman said.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman joked that he envisioned Edman winning the MVP award when he traded for him, but applauded him for taking a step up in such a high-stakes series.

“There aren’t many guys on the planet that can do this at such a high level. He’s a very good baseball player,” Friedman said. “He was just right in the middle of everything that happened in the series.”

Edman said he didn’t think too much about being in the spotlight, but going from missing most of the regular season to being traded to the star of the championship series is quite a change.

“It’s been a crazy journey. Early in the year I never thought I would be in this situation today,” Edman said.

It’s hard to imagine where the Dodgers would have been if they hadn’t traded for Edman this summer. Manager Dave Roberts credited Friedman and the front office for making the trade happen. Even he didn’t expect to be in fourth place, but now he’s sold on what Edman brings to the club.

“I trust him. The guys trust him. He’s made huge defensive plays for us and had huge hits. I’m just really happy with a player like Tommy,” Roberts said.

Edman’s emergence will give the New York Yankees another concern in the World Series. As if there aren’t enough things to consider when facing a team that has scored at least eight points in its NLCS wins and is averaging more than six points per game, the most of any postseason team.

Of course, everyone will be excited to see Ohtani compete against Gerrit Cole and draw comparisons to Aaron Judge. Mookie Betts will face the team that couldn’t stand to see him win a World Series when he played for the Boston Red Sox. And that doesn’t apply to Freeman, Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton.

Still, it’s no surprise to anyone in Los Angeles to see someone like Edman perform in big situations.

“The common theme for this season is a lot of people, different guys, have stepped up,” Ohtani said.

Now Edman is a red hot guy who can’t be overlooked on the board. He was able to continue his excellent play in the World Series. But who knows, it could be another unsung hero who elevates himself to stardom for a team that proves it’s more than the three MVPs at the top of the lineup.

“You prepare for those big moments. Luckily I was able to get through them,” Edman said.

From utility man to MVP as Dodgers reach the World Series

By Sheisoe

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