Ryan Ward had to wait seven years for his first career call-up to the big leagues.
This time, he’s returning less than six weeks later.
With Teoscar Hernández set to go on the injured list with a hamstring strain he sustained Wednesday night, the Dodgers on Thursday decided to call Ward back up to the majors as his replacement, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The California Post.
The move will mark Ward’s second time playing in the majors this year, after making his long-awaited MLB debut on April 19 in Colorado, when he recorded two hits and an RBI while filling in for Freddie Freeman during his absence on the paternity list.
Ward, 28, is a left-handed slugger who should give the Dodgers an option for what will now be a platoon in left field.
Alex Call figures to be the primary right-handed option there, having hit .294 in a reserve role this season. Ward and Hyeseong Kim figure to get the left-handed portion of at-bats in that equation.
Ward can also play first base if needed.
The Athletic earlier reported the news of his call-up on Thursday morning.
The reigning MVP of the triple-A Pacific Coast League, Ward has regressed somewhat in 2026, batting just .254 with six home runs and 31 RBIs in 47 games with the club’s Oklahoma City affiliate.
However, he has continued to control the strike zone (34 walks, 43 strikeouts), is getting on base at a .379 clip, and now has at least a small taste of MLB experience to fall back on.
He’ll likely stay in the majors this time until either Hernández (who will be out at least a couple weeks) or Tommy Edman (who is just starting a multi-week rehab assignment in triple-A coming off ankle surgery this winter) returns to the field.
The Dodgers did have other options to consider, from breakout prospect James Tibbs III to three-year MLB veteran utility man Tyler Fitzgerald.
But Ward, after his years of work to climb the minor-league ladder, has become a franchise favorite.
And this role –– which is still likely to include somewhat sporadic at-bats over only a temporary period –– suited his skill set and development arc best.