Surprising move for Dodgers fan favorite outfield prospect better amount to something

Thursday marked the first real day of the offseason. Teams and players had to make decisions on contract options by EOD, anyone on the 60-day IL had to be reinstated, qualifying offers had to be extended, and free agents were officially open to signing with teams at 2 PM PST.

It led to a flurry of roster activity all over the league, and the Dodgers were busier than most. Their headlining move was DFA'ing former All-Star Tony Gonsolin, who never stood a chance in the fight for a maybe nonexistent rotation spot next year, followed by outrighting World Series Game 6 hero Justin Dean, who was almost immediately claimed on waivers by the Giants (former top prospect Michael Grove was also outrighted).

Outfielder Ryan Ward and left-handed pitcher Robinson Ortiz took Gonsolin and Dean's spots on the 40-man roster, which prevented the Dodgers from losing them in minor league free agency (they would've been eligible for by the end of the day without a roster move).

Ward has become something of an obscure fan favorite for anyone plugged into the Dodgers' minor league system. He isn't and has never been a top prospect, but he hit .290 with a .937 OPS in Triple-A (his third season there) and was named the Pacific Coast League's MVP this season. That definitely sounds like the kind of guy who deserves a chance in the majors.

Dodgers fans can only hope that outfielder Ryan Ward gets a real major league shot after roster move

Ward would've been a perfect internal replacement for Michael Conforto during the regular season as a slugging left fielder. Sure, just because a player is good in Triple-A, that doesn't mean it'll translate seamlessly to the majors, but anything would've been better than Conforto.

There must be something about Ward that the Dodgers' scouting evaluations aren't very jazzed about, because on paper, the guy looks like he was due for a call up last year. He's received invitations to spring training every year since 2022, hit 36 homers with 122 RBI in Oklahoma City this year, and continues to rake in minor league awards, so there's really no other explanation.

Fans just really want the Dodgers to give Ward a chance, and adding him to the 40-man is the first step they've taken in that direction. There are ways he could figure into the Dodgers' plans for 2026 — maybe as a bench outfielder if Kiké Hernández doesn't return — but the kid just needs a shot.