LOS ANGELES — As Andrew Friedman stood on the field wearing his fresh new “National League Champions” T-shirt on Sunday night, he was asked what he expected out of Tommy Edman when he made a July trade for a guy who hadn’t played all year.
“NLCS MVP,” Friedman said with a smile.
The Dodgers’ president of baseball operations has hit on many of his acquisitions, both big and small, throughout the team’s current run of success, but his deal for Edman now looks like one of the most opportunistic.
Edman was named MVP of the NL Championship Series after hitting .407 with 11 RBIs in the six-game series, which the Dodgers wrapped up with a 10-5 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday night. He tied Corey Seager’s Dodgers record for most RBIs in a postseason series.
“It’s pretty crazy, especially with the history of the organization to have tied that record,” Edman said. “I had no idea about it until I guess after the game. But a huge part of that is a testament to the guys on the team. We had really good at-bats throughout the series. Our whole lineup was really good lineup. Any number of guys could have won MVP.”
His two-run double in the first inning put the Dodgers ahead, and then his two-run homer in the third inning padded the lead to 6-1.
“Unbelievable,” Friedman said. “All series, he seemed to be in the middle of a lot of things we had going. Such a calm pulse. For someone who doesn’t have as much postseason experience as some of our guys, he seemed to have a calmness about him that stood out.”
The Dodgers acquired Edman, 29, from the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-team deal just before the July 30 trade deadline. At that point, he hadn’t even played. He missed most of the season rehabbing from wrist surgery, and he hurt his ankle while working his way back.
Edman didn’t play his first major league game this season until Aug. 19, three weeks after the trade.
“After the way the season started, to end up in this situation today is crazy,” Edman said. “The team welcomed me with open arms. Can’t wait to keep it going.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who put Edman in the cleanup spot again for Game 6, said he was impressed with how much Edman was able to contribute after missing so much time.
“It’s a crazy trajectory,” Roberts said. “I can’t say enough about the front office being able to acquire him at the deadline. You know what he can do for us on the field and (in) the clubhouse. It’s just amazing. I never imagined, once we acquired him, he’d hit fourth in a postseason game. But I trust him. The guys trust him. He’s made huge defensive plays for us and had huge hits. So I just very, very fortunate to have a player like Tommy.”
Friedman said the Dodgers had been trying to get Edman for years. His versatility was particularly attractive.
“Just a really good baseball player,” Friedman said. “(Shortstop Miguel) Rojas gets hurt and (Edman) goes from center field to shortstop. There aren’t a lot of guys on Earth who can do it at such a high level. He’s a really good baseball player. Just had his nose in the middle of everything we had going in the middle of the series.”
Earlier in the series, Edman suggested that his initial weeks with the Dodgers amounted to spring training. He said finally started to feel comfortable at the plate with some work he did in the break between the end of the regular season and the Division Series against the San Diego Padres.
A switch-hitter, Edman has been deadly against left-handed pitchers. He was 7 for 12 in the NLCS against lefties, including his two big hits early in the game against Mets lefty Sean Manaea.
The Dodgers trailed, 1-0, in the first when Edman reached for a sweeper over the outer half and yanked it into the left field corner, for a two-run double. That accounted for the only lead change in the entire six-game series.
Two innings later, Edman got a fastball from Manaea at the top of the zone and he hit over the fence in center, a two-run homer to put the Dodgers up 4-1.
The lead remained at least three runs for the rest of the game, sending the Dodgers into the World Series. Edman has played in the postseason with the Cardinals, but never reached the World Series.
“It’s what you always dream about as a little kid, getting to play in the World Series,” he said. “Playing for the Dodgers against the Yankees. It’s pretty surreal. And I’m just excited to get to play those big games. We’re enjoying this series win tonight. Over this next week or so we’re going to start preparing against the Yankees. But it’s a dream come true, for sure.”
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