Edman confirmed to miss season start due to ankle surgery; how will Dodgers address vacancies at second base and center field?

During the entire offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been bracing for a crucial player potentially missing the season opener. Manager Dave Roberts formally announced today that utility man Tommy Edman will keep rehabilitating his right ankle surgery and will start the season on the injured list.

Edman has dealt with ankle problems for the last two years. In 2025, he was placed on the injured list twice due to this issue. After his second return, he primarily played in the infield until Andy Pages hit a prolonged slump, prompting Roberts to place Edman in center field for the final two games of the World Series.

Last November, Edman sought a definitive solution for his long-standing ankle troubles by undergoing ligament repair and bone spur removal surgery. He recalled that the last time his ankle was nearly fully healthy was around March or April 2025, when he had an OPS of 0.818 and hit eight home runs before suffering his first ankle sprain.

“Last year, I was only healthy for about a month,” Edman said regarding his ankle condition. “Hopefully, this year I can stay healthy for the entire season.”

For most of the offseason, Edman did not rule out the possibility of returning by Opening Day. His rehab has progressed as planned; over a month ago, he removed his protective boot and resumed batting and throwing drills. He is also working on running recovery, which has been the most challenging part for his ankle in recent years.

“Opening Day was always an ambitious target,” Edman said. “But what if I recover faster than expected? Everything so far is based on typical timelines for this type of surgery. I feel like I’m on track, and now it’s just about how each step goes.”

Although Edman is not expected to be a power hitter in the Dodgers’ lineup, his switch-hitting ability and versatility to play both infield and outfield make him difficult to replace. Once healthy, he is expected to be the primary second baseman and also serve as a backup option in center field behind Pages. Last year, when Max Muncy was injured, Edman even played third base.

Normally, Kiké Hernández could fill Edman’s utility role, but he will also miss the start of the season due to left elbow surgery. Without Edman, the Dodgers might respond to the second base and center field gaps as follows:

Second Base

Veteran Miguel Rojas is likely the top right-handed candidate, with Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland also competing for the spot.

Kim had his rookie season last year, appearing in 71 games with a .280 batting average and a 0.699 OPS. Previously, he was a star player in the KBO Korean Baseball Organization for eight years. He mainly faced right-handed pitchers, and his performance declined after returning from left shoulder bursitis. After coming off the injured list, his role was limited late in the season, and in the playoffs, he only appeared as a pinch runner without any at-bats.

Freeland finished last season as the Dodgers’ fourth-ranked rookie, playing 29 major league games with a .190 batting average and a 0.602 OPS. He has experience at both second and third base. A switch hitter, he mostly batted left-handed during his major league appearances.

From this perspective, Kim and Freeland will essentially compete for the same role during spring training.

“That’s fair to say,” Roberts commented. “Competition is a good thing.”

Center Field

Pages is the starting center fielder, but without Edman, there is little depth behind him. When Pages is hitting well, there is no issue, but the 25-year-old showed some offensive ups and downs last season despite overall strong performance.

Kim could also be a potential solution in center field, possibly giving him a slight edge over Freeland in the Opening Day roster competition. Last year, Kim appeared 17 times in center field (starting 9 games), playing 85.1 innings without committing an error. His speed is a strong asset, but his lack of experience remains a concern.

Besides Kim, the Dodgers also have defensive specialist Michael Siani. The team added him twice off waivers during the offseason. On the 40-man roster behind Pages, Siani might be the safest choice for center field depth.