The Los Angeles Dodgers designated outfielder Ryan Ward for assignment ahead of Wednesday’s game, ending his seven-year stay in the Dodgers’ organization.
To replace Ward on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers reinstated trade deadline acquisition Kris Bubic from the 60-day injured list while optioning right-hander Paul Gervase to Triple-A.
Ward, 28, made his MLB debut with the Dodgers this season, but his time in the organization goes well beyond the 20 games he played for the team this season.
He begun making headlines during the 2025 season for his unbelievable performances in Triple-A, with many calling for him to replace outfielder Michael Conforto, who struggled during his one-year tenure in Los Angeles.
Ward won the Pacific Coast League MVP in 2025, hitting 36 homers and driving in 122 runs over the course of 143 games, posting a career-high .937 OPS. He hadn’t appeared in MLB since June prior to his DFA.
Why Did the Dodgers Choose to DFA Ward Over a Pitcher?
While the Dodgers have plenty of pitchers on their 40-man roster, especially some who haven’t performed up to MLB standards this season, so why DFA Ward?
The decision likely comes due to Ward’s positional redundancy. A left-handed outfielder, which the Dodgers have plenty of—especially after calling up Josue De Paula directly from Double-A last week.
The Dodgers view De Paula as the future and already have him in MLB, which effectively put the nail in the coffin for Ward’s time with the Dodgers.
De Paula, the Dodgers’ top prospect, only has five MLB games under his belt, but is turning heads across the league already. He has a homer and three RBIs to go with five walks and a .797 OPS across his five appearances.
How Did Ryan Ward Perform in the Majors?
Ward had a decent year in the majors for the Dodgers, but not quite up to his standards in Triple-A. Through his 20 games, he stepped up to the plate 60 times and posted a .738 OPS.
He hit three homers over the course of those games, driving in 12 runs, though his OPS sat below .300 for all of the final 12 games with the Dodgers.
The 28-year-old got off to a good start with the Dodgers when they called him up for two games in April, logging two hits in his debut and driving in his first MLB RBI.
He came back at the end of May, hitting his first career home run against the Philadelphia Phillies, the. crushed another one against the Los Angeles Angels a few days later. Ward rode a five-game hit streak from June 4-10, but struggled to put up results for the remainder of the year. He logged just four hits over the following 11 games.
Ward returned to the minors at the end of June and had a decent couple of months, but a September slump may have cost him his spot on the 40-man roster. Since Sept. 1, Ward had a .191 batting average with a .565 OPS, hitting just one home run in a hitter-friendly league.
LA can still keep Ward if he clears waivers, but the probability of teams passing on a player with his track record is extremely low.
