ATLANTA — Tommy Edman is dealing with a minor injury to the same ankle that delayed the start of his 2024 season.
Edman, who went into Friday second on the team with eight home runs, sprained his right ankle while rehabbing from wrist surgery last June. He missed his second consecutive game Friday with another injury to the same ankle.
But this injury is “not on the same scale” and Edman could be back in the Dodgers’ starting lineup as soon as Saturday.
“Same one, but a different mechanism,” Edman said Friday. “I didn’t roll it. Last year, I rolled it and sprained it. I didn’t sprain it this year. I just stretched out a little tendon.”
The injury occurred when Edman slid into third base during the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game against the Miami Marlins. He was replaced on defense the next inning (with the Dodgers on their way to a 15-2 blowout victory) and didn’t play Wednesday.
Edman was feeling well enough on Friday to take ground balls, hit in the batting cage and do some running as a test of the ankle.
“It was sore that night, sore the next day,” Edman said. “Yesterday was the off day, got some more treatment. I’ll go through all that stuff today and if it feels good hopefully be in there tomorrow.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said a trip to the injured list was a possibility if Edman’s ankle did not respond well to Friday’s workout. But it’s more likely Edman will playing again this weekend.
“I think it’s a day-to-day thing,” Roberts said. “I don’t want to put him or us in a position where there’s much expectation. That should be driven by how he’s feeling. … But as far as starting tomorrow, I guess we’ll see how today goes.”
PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Before he made his first start of May on Friday night, right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named the National League’s Pitcher of the Month for April.
Over his first six starts this season, Yamamoto led the majors in ERA (1.06) while allowing just 23 hits and 11 walks and striking out 43 in 34 innings. Opposing batters hit just .190 against him.
“Confidence,” Roberts said of the main factor in Yamamoto’s strong start in his second season. “I do believe Yamamoto has gotten to who he is, who he was in Japan and I think he’s a better pitcher (than last year). His ability to command the fastball wasn’t shown as much as it could have been or is now. And I think that’s from the confidence, the conviction he has in himself.
“Quite frankly, he’s outperformed everyone.”
INJURY UPDATES
Left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) is on the 10-game trip with the Dodgers and is expected to start a throwing program on Wednesday. Snell has been out since April 2 and received an injection for his shoulder discomfort last weekend.
Right-hander Michael Kopech (forearm discomfort/shoulder impingement) has moved his rehab to Arizona, where he has thrown to hitters in live batting practice. He is scheduled to repeat that on Monday then start a minor-league injury rehabilitation assignment later in the week. Kopech was moved to the 60-day injured list on Thursday and will not be eligible to come off the IL until May 17.
Blake Treinen (forearm sprain) was also moved to the 60-day IL on Thursday and will not be available to pitch until mid-June. Roberts said Treinen will not try throwing for “a couple more weeks and then he’ll start his progression.”
UP NEXT
Dodgers (RHP Roki Sasaki, 0-1, 3.55 ERA) at Braves (RHP Spencer Schwellenbach, 1-2, 2.87 ERA), Saturday, 4:15 p.m. PT, FOX (Ch. 11), 570 AM
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