Dodgers' Tommy Edman Won't Be Ready For Opening Day. 'we’re Not Going To Rush It'

PHOENIX — Position players reported to outpouring training astatine Camelback Ranch for nan Dodgers connected Monday, but head Dave Roberts revealed that it will beryllium without its versatile 2nd baseman and utilityman Tommy Edman erstwhile nan squad opens nan play against nan Arizona Diamondbacks astatine location connected March 26.

The 30-year-old Edman underwent ankle room during nan offseason aft being constricted to 97 games successful 2025 successful his first afloat play pinch nan Dodgers.

“I deliberation conscionable looking astatine wherever his ankle is at, trying to play nan agelong position that you don’t want to person immoderate regression aliases setbacks,” Roberts said. “So, really tin we methodical pinch it? Just for me, knowing that he’s conscionable taking swings is enough. We’re not going to unreserved it. We want to put him successful nan champion position, truthful I deliberation it conscionable benignant of became [clearer] very recently.”

Edman will unfastened nan play connected nan injured list, thing he is astatine bid with. He felt that a return earlier Opening Day was a spot ambitious, and that it would beryllium amended to err connected nan broadside of caution.

“That was ever benignant of a stretch, conscionable owed to nan quality of nan wounded and nan timing of nan room and everything,” Edman said. “I think, having been retired of nan footwear for a small complete a period now, I was conscionable benignant of waiting to spot really it progressed, and everything has gone precisely on-schedule. We were benignant of leaving Opening Day open, conscionable successful lawsuit it happened to consciousness measurement amended than expected. Everything’s connected nan expected schedule truthful far. As I get into much shot stuff, I still person to activity into nan adjustment of volume. As nan measurement goes up, nan swelling benignant of increases a small bit, truthful I’ve sewage to return it slow and fto nan advancement play retired nan measurement it was planned each along, alternatively of trying to velocity it up.”

For now, Edman is slow-playing it.

“He took immoderate swings a mates days ago, [from] some sides,” Roberts said. “He did immoderate skipping, immoderate ray jogging, I deliberation it was. He’s getting his assemblage into shot shape, truthful evidently he’s not going to beryllium fresh for nan commencement of camp. He’s successful that aforesaid bucket of, ‘When he’s ready, he’s ready.’ But each day, there’s been progress.”

Evan Phillips excited to beryllium back

Days aft signing a one-year statement to return to nan Dodgers — contempt being non-tendered earlier successful nan offseason — Evan Phillips expressed alleviation astatine being back.

“[The offseason] was quiet for a small bit,” Phillips said. “I leaned connected my supplier to beryllium diligent and spot that things were going to activity retired and we’re surely gladsome that we’re back. It was decidedly a very, very chaotic thrust this offseason. It feels for illustration I ne'er left, truthful it’s benignant of weird to get each nan handshakes and hugs, but it’s conscionable different outpouring training to me. I’m surely gladsome to beryllium backmost successful Dodger blue.”

Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes told reporters Sunday that Phillips should return to nan Dodgers sometime successful nan mediate of nan season. He underwent Tommy John room past June.

“[I’ve been] doing agelong flip a fewer times a week, hoping to get connected nan bullpen aliases connected nan mound for a bullpen adjacent month,” Phillips said. “I’ll commencement that mound progression present successful nan adjacent mates of weeks. I think, actually, Tuesday I’ll propulsion disconnected of nan mound for nan first time, but it won’t beryllium to a catcher aliases anything. It’ll conscionable beryllium a catcher opinionated up and there’s a slow progression, week by week. So [there will be] plentifulness of steps up that’s going to support maine engaged present successful Arizona, but I’m decidedly looking guardant to that progression.”