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.
Advertisement
“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.”
Advertisement
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.”
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
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)
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%.
Advertisement
“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.”
The Rotary Club of La Jolla hosted San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl at its March 10 meeting as he spoke about his team’s role in the community, pointing out that it does not include enforcement of federal immigration laws.
Meanwhile, the club is continuing its contributions to a fire station fundraising project.
Here’s a breakdown of the latest Rotary happenings.
Chief explains SDPD and ICE dynamic
Wahl discussed his department’s priorities and attempted to clarify the differences between its operations and those of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Advertisement
Wahl, who led SDPD’s Northern Division, which includes La Jolla, as a captain in 2021-22 and took over as chief in 2024 following the retirement of former chief David Nisleit, said he has three main goals for the department: Build trust, develop leaders and be efficient and effective with the resources allotted. Its overarching job, he added, is to provide stability and structure “when things are out of control and there’s chaos.”
Several questions from people at the meeting were directed toward the Police Department’s role — or lack thereof — in ICE operations.
San Diego police do not enforce federal immigration laws and are subject to state regulations. California Senate Bill 54 “prohibits SDPD officers from investigating, detaining or arresting people based solely on their immigration status,” according to the city of San Diego.
SDPD officers are not allowed to ask about immigration status, participate in immigration enforcement or assist with immigration arrests. They are responsible for answering calls for emergency help and providing information as available to elected officials about the details and circumstances of calls.
Wahl described the department’s role as “apolitical,” though he added it’s an increasingly fine line to walk.
Advertisement
“Obviously this is a very polarizing issue with many different views,” Wahl said. “I’m sorry the way this is impacting families and folks that have been in this country for many, many years. I wish there was something I could do to change that. But I am very cautious to make sure I’m not in my role creating or making this … Police Department a pawn in a political battle.”
“They [ICE] have their areas of responsibility, we have our areas of responsibility,” Wahl said. “Unfortunately, right now during this tough time, we all get painted with the same broad brush.”
Wahl told the LaJollaLight after the meeting that it’s unsurprising that immigration enforcement is a topic of local interest given San Diego’s proximity to the U.S./Mexico border.
“It’s a tough issue, and it’s really tough to be succinct and to the point [and] have people understand all the different layers,” he said. “I understand people want us to do something. And I want to be able to do something. But in many respects, there’s not much we can do.”
Wahl said he was unaware of any ICE-related calls SDPD may have received in La Jolla, though areas such as Linda Vista, South Park and Mission Valley have been affected.
Advertisement
Fire Station 16 fundraising
An ongoing effort to renovate San Diego Fire Station 16 on Mount Soledad in La Jolla continues to gain steam and is now about $45,000 from its fundraising target, Rotarian Cindy Goodman told the Light.
Visitors and firefighters gather at a Nov. 12 open house at La Jolla’s Fire Station 16 that raised $20,000 toward the station’s renovation. (Provided by Wendy Moore)
The city approved a Phase 1 revitalization plan shepherded by the La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Club to replace walls and doors in the station’s sleeping areas, along with other improvements.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation and the Rotary Club of La Jolla have teamed with Sunrise Rotary in an agreement that if the Rotarians come up with the money and materials for the project, the city will provide the labor.
The Fire-Rescue Department says Fire Station 16 was built in 1982 and hasn’t had any major renovations since, instead receiving small upgrades. Renovating the station will enable firefighters to have better sleep, privacy and living standards, project organizers say.
The overall funding target is $175,000. But with more than $130,000 collected so far, the clubs should be able to cover construction and temporary housing costs, Goodman said. Now they are awaiting city guidance on temporary trailers that meet requirements.
Advertisement
“The community has been wonderful about supporting the project to provide decent housing for our firefighters, and all those involved are very grateful,” Goodman said.
Kiwanis and Rotary joint meeting to feature S.D. council president
Less than a month after he held a town hall meeting at the La Jolla Recreation Center, San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava, whose District 1 includes La Jolla, is scheduled to deliver a city update at a Rotary Club meeting later this month.
The meeting, a joint effort including the Kiwanis Club of La Jolla, will begin at noon Tuesday, March 24, at the La Valencia Hotel, 1132 Prospect St.
Hot topics at LaCava’s March 4 town hall included area speed limits, city budget issues and continuing infrastructure projects. ♦
Padres roster review: Miguel Andujar – San Diego Union-Tribune
Advertisement
Skip to content
MIGUEL ANDUJAR
Position(s): Third base, left field, first base
Bats / Throws: Right / Right
2026 opening day age: 31
Height / Weight: 6-foot / 211 pounds
How acquired: Signed as a free agent in February 2026
Contract status: Will make $1.5 million in 2026, with the opportunity to earn another $2 million-plus in performance bonuses; his $4 million guarantee includes a $2.5 million buyout against an $8 million mutual option for 2027.
.986 — Andujar’s OPS against left-handed pitching in 2025, the second-highest mark of his career and well above his career .807 OPS against southpaws. Andujar had been below .600 in 2021 and 2022 before jumping to .871 in 2023 and a career-high .995 in 2024.
TRENDING
Up — Signed for $700,000 out of the Dominican Republic as a 16-year-old in the international amateur market, Andujar needed two years to get out of the Yankees’ rookie-ball affiliate in the Gulf Coast League and finally cracked top-100 lists ahead of the 2018 season — No. 59 at Baseball America and No. 65 at MLB.com — after reaching Triple-A following a 16-homer season (.850 OPS). Andujar even made his MLB debut as a 22-year-old in 2017 and looked like he’d be a big part of the Yankees’ future after pairing 27 homers and 92 RBIs with an .855 OPS in finishing second to Shohei Ohtani in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2018. But a right shoulder labrum tear derailed Andujar in 2019 and Andujar was never able to grab a starting job again in New York. The Pirates claimed him late in 2022 and then the Athletics claimed him after the 2023 season. By then, he’d developed into a platoon player with defensive limitations. Andujar had a .697 OPS in 75 games in his first year with the Athletics and a .765 OPS in 60 games last year when, after missing time with a right oblique strain, he was shipped to the Reds for a minor league pitcher. Andujar went on to hit .359/.400/.544 with four homers and 17 RBIs in 34 games to help the Reds lock up a wild-card spot. He was 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout in the NL Wild Card Series sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.
Miguel Andujar #41 of the San Diego Padres participates in drills during spring training workouts at the Peoria Sports Complex on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz.(Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
2026 OUTLOOK
The need for right-handed balance in the lineup was painfully obvious in the Padres’ NL Wild Card Series loss to the Cubs, so Andujar became a target after 1B/OF Ryan O’Hearn walked as a free agent. Expect Andujar to get at-bats against lefties as either a DH, first base, third base or left field — the spots he’s been playing in spring training.
Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of the Chaldean Catholic bishop of San Diego, California, a decision announced Tuesday by the Vatican after the bishop was arrested on embezzlement charges. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said last week it had arrested Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta on Thursday at San Diego International Airport as he tried to leave the country, reports the AP. The office said it acted after someone from Shaleta’s church provided a statement and documentation “showing potential embezzlement from the church.” Shaleta was being held on $125,000 bail on eight counts of embezzlement, money laundering, and aggravated white collar crime, the statement said. Shaleta pleaded not guilty on Monday, reports NBC San Diego.
“He was on his way to Germany,” prosecutor Joel Madero said. “Given his access to funds, the fact that he had over $9,000 in the bag when he was stopped, and the fact that he has these international ties … I do believe that some bail to ensure he shows up is appropriate.” There was no immediate reply to an email sent to Shaleta’s parish, St. Peter Chaldean Church, seeking comment and contact information for his attorney. The Vatican said in its daily bulletin Tuesday that Leo had accepted Shaleta’s resignation under the code of canon law for eastern rite churches that allows for the pope to agree if a bishop asks to step down.
Advertisement
Leo actually accepted the resignation when Shaleta presented it in February, but an announcement was not made until Tuesday, according to the Vatican embassy in Washington. The Holy See appears to have waited to announce the decision to avoid interfering with the police investigation. Leo named Bishop Saad Hanna Sirop as a temporary administrator. Shaleta, 69, was ordained a priest of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Detroit in 1984. He was named to the San Diego branch of the eastern rite Catholic Church in the US in 2017.
