Tommy Edman’s Ankle Recovery Trending Up, But Patience Is the Name of the Game
At DodgerFest this weekend, Tommy Edman showed up with a subtle but meaningful update-no walking boot. That might not sound like much, but for a player who battled ankle issues throughout the 2025 season, it’s a sign of real progress. And for Edman, who’s built his career on versatility and hustle, being able to move freely again is a big deal.
“Ankle’s feeling great,” Edman said. “I’ve hit every checkpoint along the way of the recovery. I haven’t had any setbacks so far, and everything’s feeling good.”
That’s music to the Dodgers’ ears. Edman’s value comes from his ability to play all over the field and impact the game in multiple ways.
But last year, his ankle had other plans. He played in just 97 games, hit the injured list twice with the same nagging issue, and never quite looked like himself-especially when it came to his trademark explosiveness.
Now, as spring training approaches, Edman is cautiously optimistic. He’s back doing baseball activities and moving around without restriction, but he’s not rushing things. Not this time.
“I guess I am taking it somewhat slow just because I need to be patient to make sure once I get back to playing I don’t have any issues again,” he said. “With the ankle, it tends to be a slower recovery.”
That recovery process isn’t just about pain management-it’s about restoring full range of motion and explosiveness. Baseball demands quick cuts, bursts of speed, and constant movement. For a player like Edman, who thrives on acceleration and agility, that’s especially true.
“There's not much blood flow there,” he explained, referring to the ankle. “And you need to get back to having full range in order to do acceleration and all the stuff you do on the baseball field.”
What’s been most encouraging for Edman is what hasn’t happened during his rehab. The inside of the ankle-the area that gave him the most trouble last year-hasn’t flared up at all.
“That’s the main thing we’ve been watching out for,” he said. “So I’m encouraged with everything so far.”
The decision to have surgery wasn’t sudden. It had been building over time as Edman repeatedly sprained the same ankle over the past two seasons. Eventually, it became clear that rest and rehab weren’t enough.
“We were talking about it kind of throughout the year,” he said. “We just had to go in there and get some imaging, see if there was anything that could be fixed from the ligament standpoint, and also some other things to clean up in the bones.”
Once the imaging confirmed what they suspected, surgery made sense. And the message from the medical team afterward was simple: stick to the rehab plan, and things should improve significantly.
“After the surgery, they basically said it was pretty straightforward,” Edman said. “As long as I have a good rehab process, it should be much better.”
Opening Day is still in play, but Edman’s not locking himself into that timeline. He’s aiming for it, sure, but only if he’s truly ready.
“It’s a possibility,” he said. “I am doing everything I can to be ready for Opening Day, but if my ankle comes around to that time and it’s still at 90%, not quite where I need it to be, I’m going to do my best to be patient with it.”
That’s a mature approach, especially considering how last season unfolded. During the Dodgers’ championship run, Edman was clearly limited. He spent time in the infield because the ankle couldn’t handle the demands of center field-until the team needed him there during the World Series, when Andy Pages’ struggles at the plate forced a defensive shuffle.
Looking ahead, Edman knows the final hurdle will be regaining his burst-especially when it comes to stealing bases and making those quick first steps that separate good defenders from great ones.
“For me last year and the past couple of years, the hardest thing was stealing bases and accelerating,” he said. “Because of how much range of motion you need in your ankle, and the force you need to produce to accelerate. That’ll probably be one of the last checkpoints that I need to hit.”
The ankle also had ripple effects at the plate. Edman admitted he developed some bad habits, compensating for the lack of strength and stability on his right side. Combine that with inconsistent playing time, and it’s no wonder his rhythm never quite clicked.
“I probably got into some bad mechanical habits because I wasn’t wanting to put as much force into that right side as I would otherwise,” he said. “And then obviously, just the rhythm of not getting the consistent at-bats over the course of seven months.”
Defensively, Edman isn’t sugarcoating things. He knows he can be better, especially when it comes to his first step and range-two areas that take a hit when your ankle isn’t cooperating.
“I still feel like I didn’t play that well defensively last year,” he said. “But I think I can be much better both in second and center.”
And while the Dodgers are coming off back-to-back World Series titles, Edman isn’t seeing any signs of complacency from the front office. Quite the opposite, actually.
“It still is pretty awesome to see them make those moves and still be so aggressive coming off of two World Series championships,” he said. “It sends a message that we’re not satisfied with just two. We’re going to win as many World Series championships as we can.”
That mindset fits Edman perfectly. He’s a grinder, a team-first guy, and now-finally-a healthy one. If his ankle holds up, don’t be surprised if he’s back to being one of the most quietly valuable pieces on a loaded Dodgers roster.