The Los Angeles Dodgers by no means actually gave Ryan Ward an opportunity.
Now, Ward is heading a great distance away to proceed his baseball profession in Japan.
That was the information that emerged on Tuesday afternoon from Dodgers beat reporter Fabian Ardaya, who shared on X that Ward has been bought into Nippon Skilled Baseball.
His contract was bought by the Chunichi Dragons.
Dodgers bought the recently-DFA’d Ryan Ward to the NPB’s Chunichi Dragons.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) September 22, 2026
It is a transfer that was possible accredited by Ward. He wouldn’t technically have to do this, however Chunichi absolutely wouldn’t ship the Dodgers cash for a participant who they’d no thought if he would ever present up in Japan.
It’s a disappointing finish to Ward’s time within the Dodgers’ group. It typically felt like he could have deserved a bit extra of an opportunity.
Why Dodgers Offered Ryan Ward to Japan
The Dodgers should’ve began searching for a suitor for Ward when it turned out persistently over the past couple of seasons that they couldn’t give him taking part in time.
Ward, in flip, could have been open to the concept of going someplace that he might truly shine.
Outstanding minor league sluggers have gone to Japan and had main success. Typically, it provides them a ticket again to MLB.
Ward undoubtedly has a chance to be a star within the NPB.
Ryan Ward Stats
Ward had solely made his MLB debut this season at age 28. He batted .218 in 55 at bats with three residence runs and 12 RBI.
He’s a former eighth-round decide in 2019 out of Bryant College in Rhode Island.
The explanation Ward’s identify is so notable is due to what he has achieved within the minor leagues.
In 2025, Ward blasted 36 residence runs to go together with 31 doubles and 6 triples for Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis, placing up a .937 OPS general.
The 12 months prior, he had 33 homers at OKC.
Ward’s minor league profession has included 148 doubles, 28 triples and 168 homers — together with 67 stolen bases — and an .835 OPS in 784 video games.
Regardless of that, Ward has solely seen 20 video games on the MLB degree up to now.
Each side right here should have seen the writing on the wall that it could be powerful for Ward to interrupt by means of and play extra within the majors subsequent 12 months.
With that in thoughts, Ward might’ve requested the Dodgers to commerce him someplace else in MLB, but it surely’s not clear they might’ve wished to do this anyway.
That is the compromise they got here up with. Ward heads to Japan, the place he can escape in an enormous means and doubtlessly chart a course again to MLB.
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