MLB trade rumors: Dodgers interested in top flight utility player

The rumors are starting to heat up now, with the Los Angeles Dodgers catching links to several prominent names around the market. The latest has them interested in a super utility type out of St. Louis:

Tommy Edman is an extremely interesting player at this trade deadline as a potential trade target. He has yet to play this season due to offseason wrist surgery, but has been logging rehab starts in Double-A for the past week. The caveat is that he's only done so as a designated hitter.

That's a pretty major hitch for a player whose value lies predominantly in his versatility. Since 2019, he's appeared at second, short, third, and all three outfield spots for the Cards. He did much of his work in center last year, shortstop the year before that, and second in 2021. He's generally graded out positively everywhere he's played.

The bat has only came in above average by wRC+ in two of his five seasons. In 2023, he turned in a figure of 92, but did turn in his highest power numbers since his 2019 rookie campaign (.150 isolated slugging). With such prolonged recovery from wrist surgery, you do wonder about the offense.

Nevertheless, versatility to that extent is extremely valuable. Especially for a team like the Dodgers, who are simply trying to fill spots until they get the roster to a healthier state. Edman could fill any number of spots and then fill in everywhere once the roster is at that point.

Of course, the DH element of this complicates things. So does the fact that he hasn't appeared at the Major League level this year. Would the Cardinals sell low on a guy with an additional year of team control? Or is there a swap of Major Leaguers to be found so that the wild card-chasing Red Birds could fill a need of their own?

It's a lot of questions. But a very interesting player and sort of an ideal trade candidate for the Dodgers. We'll see if those questions can be answered before Tuesday.