Sports Analysis
In late July, five-year Major League Baseball veteran Tommy Edman was in the St. Louis Cardinals’ Minor Leagues on an injury rehab assignment yet to play a major league game in 2024. Edman underwent arthroscopic wrist surgery in October 2023, sidelining him to begin the 2024 season. A sprained ankle in June set him back even further. But, on July 29, Edman was traded from the organization that drafted and developed him to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and now he’s a world champion.
The Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in five games in the World Series, looking dominant the entire time. After all, facing a team with MVP winners Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman is like running into a brick wall. The series overall was relatively uneventful, compared to previous fall classics. But, Edman’s storyline is an example of a few that drew eyes to this series.
Tommy Edman’s welcome to Los Angeles
Edman is hailed for his defensive prowess and versatility — he’s one of the few major leaguers who can play shortstop and center field at an elite level. He also won a Gold Glove at second base in 2021, meaning he was the top defender in the National League at his position. Los Angeles saw Edman as a perfect fit for this team because of his defensive value at key positions; the team lacked an impressive shortstop or center fielder. Once Edman returned from injuries on Aug. 19, he provided stability for Los Angeles.
Edman’s offensive ability, however, was unstable at the start in Los Angeles. His batting average dipped from his career .263 mark to .237 and his on-base percentage lowered from .317 to .294. His numbers dropped below the 2024 Major League mean batting average of .243 and the OBP of .312. Recovering at the plate from an injury-ridden season was tough, but Edman hit his stride in the postseason.
He hit .328 in the postseason with a .508 slugging percentage (.399 was the 2024 league average), two home runs and five doubles. His performance in the National League Championship Series netted him series MVP. He drove in the first four runs in the Dodgers’ 10-5 NLCS series-clinching win over the New York Mets. In the World Series, he was the winning run in the deciding Game 5 against the Yankees, cementing his legendary playoff run.
Freddie Freeman, of course
Even if he didn’t win this World Series, Freeman could retire with a Hall of Fame-worthy resume: 2020 NL MVP award, 2021 World Series champion with the Atlanta Braves, eight-time All-Star, Gold Glove winner, three-time Silver Slugger and much more. Naturally, Freeman had more in the tank, so with a sprained ankle, a rib injury and an intercostal strain, he won the 2024 World Series MVP.
Oh yeah, he also hit a home run in the first four games of the World Series, setting a new record with six consecutive World Series games with a homer, dating back to the 2021 fall classic he won with the Braves. Freeman’s pinnacle moment came in Game 1 of the World Series, where he smashed a walk-off grand slam against Yankee left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr. to give Los Angeles a 6-3 win.
Walker Buehler’s nostalgic return
Walker Buehler was a top pitcher in Major League Baseball in 2021, starting 30 games and notching a 2.47 earned run average for the Dodgers. His career derailed in August of 2022 when he underwent Tommy John surgery for an Ulnar Collateral Ligament tear, taking him out for over a year. Buehler was limited to 12 starts in 2022 and didn’t pitch in 2023. He made his triumphant return in 2024 — a contract season, meaning he’s a free agent since the season’s over — and struggled mightily. In 16 starts, he threw a 5.38 ERA, looking unrecognizable from the pitcher that tore up the league in 2021.
Injuries limited the Dodgers’ pitching postseason options, pushing Buehler into a playoff starting spot despite his regular season woes. With uncertainty surrounding his ability, Buehler became the pitcher fans remember from 2021. He got the ball to start in Game 3 of the World Series and gave his team five innings of shut-out baseball, surrendering only two hits. The Dodgers went on to win the game 4-2, taking a three-game series lead and all but cementing their World Series victory.
Then, to create the perfect baseball story, Buehler came in to close out Game 5 against the Yankees, with the Dodgers holding a 7-6 lead. He got the first two outs of the inning and worked Yankee outfielder Alex Verdugo to a two-strike count. Buehler dialed up a curveball that dove below the strike zone, inducing an off-balance, flailing swing from Verdugo. Buehler threw his arms out in celebration and looked at his dugout — in what could be his final outing as a Los Angeles Dodger.
