San Diego, CA

Back home in San Diego for the offseason, Tommy Edman reflects on championship season

Published

1 year ago

December 15, 2024

Back home in San Diego for the offseason, Tommy Edman reflects on championship season

On a star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers team featuring the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, few observers would have predicted that their postseason run to the 2024 World Series championship would be propelled by an under-the-radar midseason acquisition.

But when the Dodgers beat the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series, it was La Jolla Country Day School alumnus Tommy Edman who led them with a .407 batting average and matched a team record with 11 RBIs in six games. Edman was named Most Valuable Player of the NLCS.

In the World Series in late October against the New York Yankees, Edman went 5-for-17 (.294) with two doubles, three walks, a home run, two stolen bases and six runs scored.

After the Dodgers hoisted the World Series trophy with their victory in five games, Edman returned to his home in San Diego to enjoy some time off.

“Baseball is weird,” Edman said. “You have your ups and downs over the course of a season. Part of that (success) can be your swing feeling really good and getting a lot of good pitches to hit. You kind of have to have a couple things align for that to happen. I think both happened in those series.”

Part of his success could be attributed to the overall power of the Dodgers’ lineup.

“I think the great thing about playing in such a good lineup is that the pressure is on the pitcher at all times,” Edman said. “They put so much of their attention on Mookie, Freddie and Shohei that it’s tough to focus for an entire lineup. So it kind of frees up guys like myself to not be the center of an opponent’s gameplan.”

Tommy Edman celebrates as he reaches home plate after his solo home run during the second inning in Game 2 of the World Series against the New York Yankees, Oct. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

Edman said he experienced many games this season that he would consider among the best he’s been a part of. First was Ohtani’s walk-off grand slam against the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 23 to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases on the season. And Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series set the tone for the rest of the series.

“The World Series was incredible,” Edman said. “Obviously, the first two series leading up to that — beating the Padres and beating the Mets — were great series in and of themselves. And the buildup to having the best team in the NL face the best team in the AL was really exciting.”

Tommy Edman played at Stanford after graduating from La Jolla Country Day. (Stanford athletics)

Another thing that helped set up Edman for his success on the big stage was his time playing winning baseball at La Jolla Country Day and then Stanford.

Edman was a Country Day Torrey from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade and grew up watching his father, John, coach the high school baseball team. Edman played for his father from 2010-13.

Tommy Edman was an All-Academic pick while at La Jolla Country Day. (LJCD)

“I learned about the game of baseball a lot when I was pretty young,” Edman said. “So I think that kind of helped me with my instincts and just understanding the game and what it takes to win.”

And win the Torreys did. In Edman’s sophomore year, LJCDS took home its first CIF baseball championship. His first-inning home run in the title game propelled the team to victory.

Edman still holds LJCD records for hits, runs, stolen bases, and ERA as a pitcher. He was a four-time All-Coastal League selection, a three-time All-CIF selection, the 2013 Coastal League MVP, a 2013 MaxPreps All-State selection, a 2013 Louisville Slugger First-Team All-American and a 2013 CIF San Diego Section Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Those accolades earned him a spot in Country Day’s Athletic Hall of Fame last year.

“I grew up around the school and I would go into the gym and they had all the plaques and banners for all the past athletes in the Hall of Fame,” Edman said. “I used to admire them. So now, to get to join their ranks, it feels very special.”

La Jolla Country Day's Tommy Edman, right, dives to the bag during a 2013 game against Orange El Modena. (MIGUEL VASCONCELLOS / FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER) — La Jolla Country Day’s Tommy Edman, right, dives to the bag during a 2013 game against Orange El Modena. (MIGUEL VASCONCELLOS / FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER)

Edman played against the best players in San Diego, something he said was crucial to his development as a young ballplayer.

His baseball career further blossomed at Stanford, where he was named to the All-Pac-12 first team, All-Pac-12 Defensive Team and All-Pac-12 Academic Team and earned a degree in math and computational science.

The St. Louis Cardinals took him in the sixth round of the 2016 draft.

In St. Louis, Edman won several awards for his defensive prowess, including a 2021 Gold Glove and a 2022 Fielding Bible Award. His versatility and speed made him a key piece of a Cardinals team that typically was in the playoff mix.

Edman’s 2024 season had a sluggish start. He endured a longer-than-expected recovery from wrist surgery and suffered a sprained ankle on a rehabilitation assignment in June.

But the Dodgers saw value in Edman, who can play shortstop, second base and outfield. In the last week of July, they acquired Edman and hard-throwing reliever Michael Kopech in exchange for infielder Miguel Vargas and a pair of minor-leaguers.

Edman quickly immersed himself in the Dodgers’ clubhouse culture, showing his versatility not only in the positions he plays but also in how he can adjust to a new setting.

“When I went in there, I just wanted to learn as much as I could,” Edman said. “And I think that helped me get integrated pretty quickly. I think guys just saw I was excited to be a part of the team (and) excited to contribute and that I wanted to be the best player I could be.”

The Dodgers' Tommy Edman celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of Game 2 of the World Series against the New York Yankees on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) — The Dodgers’ Tommy Edman celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of Game 2 of the World Series against the New York Yankees on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

He made his Dodgers debut Aug. 19. Just over two months later, he had added NLCS MVP and World Series champion to his resumé.

And Edman will remain in Dodger blue for the foreseeable future. He signed a five-year, $74 million contract extension Nov. 29 that goes through the 2029 season, with a sixth-year club option valued at $13 million.

Beyond his MLB, college and high school teams, Edman played for the Korean team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

It marked his first time visiting the country, and he saw it as an opportunity to represent his family lineage. As of April, Asian players made up only 3.4% of MLB’s population, a slight increase over 2023’s 3.2%.

“There’s not too many players in MLB with an Asian-American background,” Edman said. “It’s definitely becoming more common … with Shohei and a lot of guys coming over from Japan and Korea. But I think it’s really cool to be an example, especially for Asian American kids who are growing up and see players in the big leagues who are having success who look like them.”

Following a weeklong vacation to Florida, Edman’s offseason focus is on his family. He and his wife, Kristen, welcomed their first child, Eli, in October last year.

“Spring training always comes really quickly,” Edman said, “so we gotta take advantage of this time off while we can.”

Lyons writes for the La Jolla Light.

Originally Published: December 15, 2024 at 12:15 PM PST

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San Diego, CA

Barricaded individual in custody following police response in Mission Valley

Published

5 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Barricaded individual in custody following police response in Mission Valley

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego Police responded to a barricaded individual in the Mission Valley area Thursday afternoon, prompting a heavy law enforcement presence.

The Nexstar Media video above details resources for crime victims

The department confirmed around 1 p.m. that officers were on scene in the 1400 block of Hotel Circle North, and are working to safely resolve the situation. Authorities asked the public to avoid the area and allow officers the space needed to conduct their operations.

Police described the incident as a domestic violence restraining order violation. At this time, it’s unknown if the person is armed.

No injuries have been reported.

The suspect was taken into custody within an hour.

Further details about the barricaded person were not immediately released. Police say updates will be shared as more information becomes available.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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San Diego, CA

Padres roster review: Luis Campusano

Published

17 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Padres roster review: Luis Campusano – San Diego Union-Tribune

LUIS CAMPUSANO

Position(s): Catcher
Bats / Throws: Right / Right
2026 opening day age: 27
Height / Weight: 5-foot-10 / 232 pounds
How acquired: Second round of the draft in 2017 (Cross Creek HS, Ga.)
Contract status: Will make $900,000 after agreeing to a one-year deal to avoid arbitration; Will not be a free agent until 2029.
fWAR in 2025: Minus-0.4
Key 2025 stats: .000 AVG, .222 OBP, .000 SLG, 0 HRs, 0 RBIs, 0 runs, 6 walks, 11 strikeouts, 0 steals (10 games, 27 plate appearances)

STAT TO NOTE

1 — The number of plate appearances for Campusano while in the majors between June 1 and June 13 and the one at-bat resulted in a weak, pinch-hit groundout against a position player (Kike Hernandez) on the mound in mop-up duty. Campusano was recalled to the majors four times in 2025 but did not get a real opportunity get settled after he went 0-for-6 with four walks and a strikeout in three straight starts as a DH in early May. Of course, hitting .227/.281/.361 with eight homers over 299 plate appearances after getting the first real chance to start in 2024 likely informed how the Padres viewed his opportunity in 2025.

Down — Called up a final time on the last day of the regular season, Campusano balked at the idea that the season did not go the way he wanted. “I had a great season,” he said as he and his teammates packed for the NL Wild Card Series in Chicago. And he did … for Triple-A El Paso. He hit more home runs than ever (25), drove in more runs (95) and finished with a career-high 1.036 OPS, tops among all qualifying Triple-A hitters. The disappointment inferred in the question posed to Campusano was that he was not able to impact the big-league team in any way in 2025, which began with the team choosing to bring in a 40-year-old Yuli Gurriel a chance on the opening day roster over a homegrown product. Once billed as the catcher of the future, Campusno did not catch a single game in the majors, nor did he get any hits, although the opportunity to play was sporadic after getting three straight starts as a DH in early May (see stat to note). The Padres even lost back-up catcher Elias Díaz to an oblique injury over the final weekend of the regular season, but Campusano — who played out the string for a Triple-A El Paso team that did not make the playoffs rather than participate in the majors as a September call-up — was added to the postseason roster more as a right-handed bat than a third catcher (Martín Maldonado was also re-added to the team for the playoffs as the defensive back-up to Freddy Fermin). Campusano, of course, was not asked to help the team in either capacity before the Padres were eliminated in three games.

2026 OUTLOOK

Campusano is finally out of minor league options this year, so the Padres will either have to carry him on the roster, trade him or expose him to waivers. He has fans in the organization, but two big-league staffs headed by Bob Melvin and Mike Shildt seemingly lost faith in his ability to catch a game and all the responsibilities that come with that. It remains to be seen what impact the arrival of robo umps will have on how new manager Craig Stammen views Campusano’s ability behind the plate, but he’s been a potent minor league hitter who has yet to truly get on track in the majors beyond the second half of 2023 (.875 OPS, 6 HRs). Campusano has dabbled at first base in recent years in the minors (12 starts total), so perhaps he settles into a role as a second catcher/right-handed DH/first base option to start 2026.

Luis Campusano #15 of the San Diego Padres and Nick Pivetta #27 walk to the dugout during a practice before the Wildcard series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sept. 29, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

ROSTER RANKINGS

22. C Luis Campusano
23. LHP Yuki Matsui
24. INF Sung-Mun Song
25. RHP Matt Waldron
26. OF Bryce Johnson
27. RHP Ron Marinaccio
28. RHP Bryan Hoeing
29. LHP Kyle Hart
30. RHP Jhony Brito
31. INF Will Wagner
32. OF Tirso Ornelas
33. RHP Garrett Hawkins
34. RHP Miguel Mendez
35. RHP Daison Acosta
36. RHP Ty Adcock
37. RHP Alek Jacob
38. INF Mason McCoy

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San Diego, CA

2 San Diego Eateries Named Among ‘Most Beautiful New Restaurants’ In America

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

2 San Diego Eateries Named Among ‘Most Beautiful New Restaurants’ In America

SAN DIEGO, CA — Two San Diego County eateries were named among the most beautiful restaurants that opened last year in the country.

Carlsbad-based Lilo was ranked No. 4 and La Jolla-based Lucien was ranked No. 9 on Robb Report’s list of the most beautiful new restaurants in the U.S. for 2025.

Lilo, which opened in April, features a multi-course tasting menu served around a 24-seat chef’s counter.

The restaurant, co-owned by Chef Eric Bost and John Resnick, earned a Michelin star just months after opening its doors. The eatery was also the only one in San Diego to land on The New York Times list of the 50 best restaurants in America.

Lucien, which opened in July, also offers a chef’s tasting menu, with more than a dozen courses. The 30-seat restaurant, is owned and helmed by Northern California native Chef Elijah Arizmendi, along with partners Brian Hung and Melissa Lang.

“I’m very grateful for the recognition from Robb Report,” Arizmendi told Patch. “Lucien is deeply personal to me, and the space was designed as an extension of my philosophy — one centered on intention, hospitality and the joy of sharing something meaningful to others.”

The list spotlights 21 restaurants in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City and other cities across the country. View the full report here.

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