Dodgers Slugger to Miss Series Opener Vs Braves

According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic on Twitter/X, Edman's ankle is feeling "much better" than it was when he tweaked it in Tuesday's game against the Miami Marlins.

Edman, 29, is second on the Dodgers this season in both home runs (eight) and RBIs (24). The switch-hitting second baseman is slashing .252/.295/.523 in a team-leading 30 games.

Edman's power surge had been a welcome boost to the Dodgers' lineup amid the struggles of Max Muncy, who did not hit his first home run of the season until Wednesday.

Using a short, compact swing, Edman has been able to deliver a punch from both sides of the plate while keeping his strikeouts to a relative minimum (18 in 111 at-bats).

The Dodgers acquired the 2024 National League Championship Series MVP in a three-team trade with the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals at last year's deadline.

The Dodgers gave up infielder Miguel Vargas, shortstop Alexander Albertus, and shortstop Jeral Perez in the deal with the Chicago White Sox. In return, they got the man who would become a postseason hero last October — and a surprising slugger in 2025 — as well as Michael Kopech, who turned out to be one of the Dodgers' most prolific bullpen arms on the road to October.

Edman was 1 for 2 with a walk, a double, and three RBIs when he left Tuesday's game against Miami in the seventh inning.

The Dodgers will send reigning National League pitcher of the month Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound against the Braves in the series opener, facing their own former first-round draft pick, right-hander Grant Holmes.

Miguel Rojas is batting ninth and playing second base in Edman's place. The veteran infielder will conceivably return to a reserve role Saturday, depending on how Edman's ankle responds to pregame workouts in Atlanta.

The Dodgers are kicking off their longest road trip of the season. They will play 10 games in 10 days in Atlanta, Miami and Arizona before returning home to Dodger Stadium.

Given the long trip without a break between games, expect the Dodgers to treat Edman's injury with caution.