Monday, February 16, 2026

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2026

Monday was the position players’ reporting day at Camelback Ranch.

Tommy Edman won’t be ready for Opening Day. In November, he underwent ankle surgery. A few weeks ago, he was permitted to start baseball activities.

At no time during the 2025 season was Edman healthy. He was constantly going on the IL because of his troublesome ankle. Edman’s value is versatility. At some points last season, he couldn’t play center field.

Going into the 2026 season, the Dodgers don’t have many areas that have question marks. Second base is one of those.

After Edman returns, he will appear in the lineup regularly. Since he has a Gold Glove at second base in 2021, second base is the most logical position for him. He can help stabilize an aging infield. However, if Andy Pages doesn’t rebound from an abysmal 2025 postseason offensive performance, Edman can play center field.

The Dodgers will have a competition at second base. Hyeseong Kim demonstrated an ability to play a good defensive second base and to run incredibly fast. He has questionable offensive ability. In 2025, he played in 71 games and had a .281 batting average with 3 home runs and 17 RBI. This spring training, Kim will miss a significant part of Dodger spring training because he will play for Team South Korea in the World Baseball Classic.

Also, Kim has worked on his defense in center field during this offseason. This gives the Dodgers more versatility with him.

Of course, Miguel Rojas, a 2025 World Series hero, will get plenty of time at second base while Edman is out. However, at 37, Rojas can’t play daily and remain healthy.

In 2025, Alex Freeland made his major league debut. He struggled offensively. At 24, Freeland played in 29 games on the major league level in the 2025 season. He had a .190 batting average with 2 home runs and 6 RBI. He must show more than last year to make the Opening Day roster.

Kim appears to have the edge over Freeland. Rojas said that Kim can be a Gold Glove second baseman.

Second base is a crucial position for any team. The Dodgers need a good second baseman to help them three-peat.