The Los Angeles Dodgers hold the best record in baseball and are undefeated against the National League this season despite not being at full strength.
Mookie Betts is still on the mend from a right oblique strain, and the likes of Kiké Hernández and Tommy Edman have yet to play in 2026. It’s not yet clear if the Dodgers are dealing with a new injury, but there is expected to be some roster movement.
According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, the Dodgers are calling up Ryan Ward from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
The Dodgers are calling up outfielder Ryan Ward, sources tell The Athletic.
The reigning PCL MVP was added to the 40-man roster over the winter. Through 81 plate appearances with OKC, he’s hitting .324 with a 1.020 OPS and four home runs.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) April 18, 2026
It’s plausible Ward joining the Dodgers roster is not due to an injury but perhaps a player needing to go on paternity leave. The likely scenario if that is the case would involve Freddie Freeman, who recently announced with his wife they are expecting their fourth child via surrogate.
The Freemans did not disclose an expected due date, but Chelsea recently held a baby shower.
Ryan Ward’s opportunity
Once Ward is officially recalled, it will mark his first opportunity at the big league level. There appeared to be a stretch last season where that was going to come to fruition amid Michael Conforto’s ongoing struggles, but Ward remained with the Comets.
It was thought to be in part because he was not yet on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster and they needed to maintain some flexibility with a slew of players returning from the 60-day injured list. The Dodgers then added Ward onto their 40-man roster during the offseason in order to protect him from possibly getting selected in the Rule 5 Draft.
The 28-year-old is in the midst of another productive year at the Triple-A level, as he’s hit .324/.432/.588 with six doubles, four home runs and 14 RBI over 18 games thus far.
Ward was named Pacific Coast League MVP for the 2025 season. He admitted to feeling some sense of frustration earlier this year over not yet getting an opportunity with the Dodgers.
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