NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS VS DODGERS

October 17, 2024

Tommy Edman

Citi Field

Los Angeles Dodgers

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. I know in the regular season we talked when you came off the IL how you were kind of looking at some of your at-bats for, in a sense, like, Spring Training. And then you started to get hot and cooled off a little bit. As you were getting ready for October, considering the success you've had this postseason, where would you say your at-bats are at right now and kind of the feeling you have at the plate at the moment?

TOMMY EDMAN: Yeah, I think it's kind of more just midseason. If you just track when I started playing games again, we're about in, I think, like end of May or beginning of June, basically.

I think what was nice was having that bye, honestly, because we had -- I finished the season really cold and then I had, like, five or six days to do some really good work on the swing. And definitely felt better once the postseason started.

In that sense, we're definitely like midseason, I would say, early to midseason.

Q. You've played with Shohei Ohtani for a little while now, but when he hits a home run like yesterday, does he still surprise you in some ways when you see something like that?

TOMMY EDMAN: Yeah, it just comes off his bat different. It's like a golf ball. I keep saying I've never seen a ball hit that far, but at some point, like, you've seen a bunch of Shohei's homers.

Every one is special, though. To see a ball go that far over the foul pole where you couldn't really tell if it was fair or foul, it's pretty impressive.

Q. What have you made of his first postseason, especially with the kind of interesting splits with runners on base versus not?

TOMMY EDMAN: He's been clutch when we needed him the most. I don't know, I think it's just one of those weird things. I don't think he's necessarily pressing because if he was pressing then he wouldn't be performing with runners in scoring position.

He's such a good hitter that I would guess it's just random the way it's turning out. You never know. I don't know what's going on or the numbers behind it, exactly, like the pitch percentages or anything like that. But obviously he's had success with runners in scoring position, so hopefully he can keep it that way.

Q. You mentioned it, the late homers were huge last night, but you did a good job playing some small ball early, getting runners on, getting those base hits. You had the sac fly to bringing in runs. How important is that in this series?

TOMMY EDMAN: It's been a little bit of both. We've had some games where we've really slugged and then others where we haven't as much but still found ways to score.

I think you've got to do both to win both postseason series because there's going to be games where you're not hitting that well or you run into a really good pitcher where have you to manufacture some runs.

That's one thing our offense has done really well is finding ways to score in both ways.

Q. Most of the work with your swing, has that been from the left-handed side of the plate?

TOMMY EDMAN: A little of both. I'm kind of working on similar things from both sides. But my righty swing felt pretty good end of the year; lefty swing didn't feel very good. Now my lefty swing is feeling good again.

Q. Is it one of the things where it's hard to read into too much what one swing looks like versus the other? There's a pretty wide split between the right-handed swings versus the left-handed, especially in season?

TOMMY EDMAN: I have different cues, just because my top hand is dominant on the right side and bottom hand dominant on left side. You can't do exactly the same thing.

For me it's kind of just more about using like the backside of my swing a little better, with the left hand and left back hip.

And I think I do a better job of that naturally right-handed. So it's kind of just trying to get the swings a little bit closer to each other so they're a little bit easier to manage.

Q. As a kid how did you start switch hitting? And (indiscernible) it seems to be a breed that's dying out.

TOMMY EDMAN: I think it's dying out because it's really hard. You've got two completely different swings and it's hard to manage one swing as it is.

I started messed around with it going back to Little League. I would just hop in there left-handed from time to time when I was like 11 and 12. And then I finally started doing it right before my freshman year of high school.

Actually went away from it my sophomore and junior year. After I committed, during the summer of my junior year, the coaches -- my college coaches said, hey, why don't you try switch hitting again. I think it will be a valuable asset to you.

I ended up switching my senior year of high school and did well and just kept doing it ever since.

Q. In the age of analytics, do you have twice as much to study to do?

TOMMY EDMAN: Yeah, there's a lot. Definitely have to put in a little more work because you've got two sides to manage. But I think it's helped out and paid off.

There's some right-handed pitchers that all face lefty. I'm glad I don't have to face this guy right-handed. Same thing with lefty as well.

Q. You've been on postseason teams throughout your career, but is there anything different about the way this Dodgers team attacks it's preparation and responds to the pressure of the postseason?

TOMMY EDMAN: I think the attention to detail is just really good. We're always trying to find an edge. Everybody does their homework. Everybody's prepared for certain situations that come up.

I think the other thing that separates this team is just the experience, and I think everybody just has a very calm and cool demeanor. The moment doesn't really get too big for anybody. I think just having a lot of guys who have between there in big moments definitely helps out to be able to perform when those situations arise.

Q. You got to play with Harrison Bader in Houston for a few years. Tell us how he's developed as a player and what's it like competing against him right now?

TOMMY EDMAN: Bader, he was one of my favorite teammates. Always has great energy. Always comes to the field ready to work, really hard worker. And just has a ton of fun out there on the field.

And is a really talented player. One of the best defensive center fielders I've seen. And just he was a joy to play with.