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Tommy Edman is working his way back through a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City, making a start on Friday night and discussing his progress beforehand, per OKC Comets coverage at DodgersBeat. The veteran utility man spoke about where he stands in his recovery ahead of the game, a positive sign that he’s getting closer to a return to the big league club.

Edman has been one of the more fascinating Dodger acquisitions in recent memory. Originally drafted by the Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2016 draft, he became a versatile everyday player in St. Louis, capable of playing second base, shortstop, third base, and all three outfield positions. His best season came in 2022, when he slashed .265/.324/.400 with 13 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases across 152 games — the kind of production that makes a switch-hitter with defensive flexibility extremely valuable. The Dodgers acquired him at the 2024 trade deadline, and he proved to be a pivotal piece down the stretch and into the postseason, providing the kind of depth and positional versatility that this front office prizes. He’s the type of player who doesn’t need to start every day to make an impact, but when he’s in the lineup, he makes things harder on opposing pitchers and managers.

Rehab assignments with OKC are always worth tracking closely because they give us the clearest indication of a player’s timeline. The fact that Edman is starting games — not just doing batting practice or fielding drills — tells us he’s in the later stages of his return. How he looks at the plate and in the field over the next few starts will determine how quickly the Dodgers feel comfortable activating him.

For the Dodgers, getting Edman back would be a significant boost, particularly given the injury issues we’ve been dealing with lately. We’ve already seen DJ Stewart‘s left foot injury not responding to treatment, and the roster has been in flux with several moves over the past week. Edman’s ability to slot into multiple positions gives Dave Roberts options he badly needs right now. Whether it’s filling in at second, sliding over to short, or covering a corner outfield spot, Edman can do it without the lineup taking a hit. His switch-hitting is another dimension — it gives Roberts lineup flexibility regardless of whether teams throw a lefty or righty at us.

I’ll be watching his next couple of OKC appearances closely. If the bat looks right and he’s moving well defensively, I’d expect a return to the active roster in the first half of June. This team needs his versatility back in the mix, and based on the fact that he’s already taking rehab starts, we shouldn’t have to wait too much longer.

Source(s): OKC Comets (DodgersBeat) | First reported: May 31, 2026 2:40 AM UTC

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