Tommy Hyunsu Edman, a Korean American who led the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series title, has agreed to a five-year contract extension with the team.
The Dodgers announced on November 29 that they had signed Edman, the MVP of the National League Championship Series (NLCS). Edman will receive a total of $74 million in salary until 2029 under the contract.
ESPN reported that the contract includes a $13 million team option for the 2030 season and a $3 million buyout.
Edman is a switch-hitter who can play both infield and outfield and can hit from both sides of the plate. The Dodgers, who highly evaluated Edman’s versatility, quickly signed him to a contract after the 2025 season when he would become a free agent.
Edman, who made his big league debut with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2019, played as a starting fielder with the top defensive skills in the league.
In 2021, he was selected as the winner of the Gold Glove National League (NL) second baseman, which is awarded to the best defensive player in each category.
However, he was unable to play a single game until July due to surgery on his right wrist and an ankle injury, and he was traded to the Dodgers on July 30 in a three-team trade.
Edman did not perform as expected in 37 regular-season games after the trade, with a batting average of .237, six home runs, and 20 RBIs, but he showed his potential in the postseason.
He was named the NLCS MVP after going 11-for-27 with a home run, 11 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.023 in six games against the New York Mets. He also performed perfectly in the five games of the World Series (WS) against the New York Yankees, going 5-for-17 with a home run, 1 RBI, and an OPS of 0.988.
Edman was born to a Korean American mother, Kyung-Ah Kwak, and an American father. Even before the Dodgers, he reportedly hoped to play in Los Angeles, where most of his maternal family lives.
BY YOONJAE JUNG, HOONSIK WOO [woo.hoonsik@koreadaily.com]
