Dodgers bring back Tommy Edman, freeing a roster spot by designating Santiago Espinal

The Los Angeles Dodgers activated Tommy Edman from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday, a return that adds an experienced utility option back to a roster that has spent the first stretch of the season without him. Edman had missed the first 73 games following right ankle surgery performed in November, and his activation marks the end of a long rehab window.

For the Dodgers, Edman’s value has typically been tied to versatility and postseason dependability. In his first two years in Los Angeles, he started 32 of 33 postseason games, a workload that reflects how frequently the club has trusted him in high-leverage situations when lineup matchups and late-game strategy tighten.

Edman’s comeback also changes day-to-day roster planning. Utility players with defensive range and the ability to slide across roles can reduce the strain on the rest of the lineup, allowing the team to cover for rest days, late innings substitutions, and strategic bench usage without losing too much flexibility.

To make space for Edman on the active roster, the Dodgers designated Santiago Espinal for assignment. That move is a standard roster transaction, but it carries practical consequences: it places Espinal in a short window where he can be claimed by another organization, traded, or cleared in a designated-move sequence depending on what the Dodgers choose next.

The Dodgers’ decision points to a common roster management challenge. When an important multi-positional player returns from a long-term IL stint, the organization must reconcile the return with the existing blend of starters and bench pieces. In this case, Edman’s timing forced a corresponding adjustment elsewhere on the 26-man roster.

Edman’s availability will be watched closely by Dodgers fans and opponents because his offseason surgery and extended time away naturally raise questions about how he fits immediately. Even when a player is officially activated, managers often ease back into full workload usage, particularly for players whose ankle mechanics and quickness are central to how they play.

As the club moves forward, the next key questions are how the Dodgers deploy Edman day-to-day and what his return means for the team’s depth chart across infield and outfield roles. The Espinal designation also keeps attention on whether Los Angeles will retain a specific profile of bench versatility or use the freed roster flexibility to make an additional move.