Ryan Ward on MLB Debut: ‘It Was a Lot of Fun’
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Ryan Ward only had good things to say following his MLB debut against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
Ward has been in the Dodgers’ farm system since they drafted him in 2019, though he has been a standout performer during his time in professional baseball. Dodgers fans called for Ward to come up to MLB in 2025, when he posted otherworldly numbers on his way to the Pacific Coast League’s MVP award, but he never got the promotion.
He finally got his opportunity in the big leagues Sunday when he replaced regular first baseman Freddie Freeman , who went on the paternity list, on the big league roster. Ward went 2-for-5 with an RBI in the loss.
“It was a lot of fun,” Ward said. “From start to finish. The butterflies were there, for sure, to start the game. They went away, though. Once the game started it was like ‘Okay, it’s just baseball,’ so it was a lot of fun to be out there.”
Despite Ward’s solid efforts—both at the plate and on defense—the Dodgers still fell short against the Rockies in the third game of the series and fell behind two games to one.
Why Did The Dodgers Choose Ryan Ward Instead of Giving Dalton Rushing More Time?
Ahead of the season, manager Dave Roberts said Dalton Rushing would get some time at first base if Freeman were to miss time. So why did they call up Ward?
The Dodgers are in the midst of a 13-game stretch without any rest days, so resting their players appropriately is imperative. Primary catcher Will Smith got a rest day the second game of the series, but they could still stand to get their star some more time off with 10 consecutive games still to play. Rushing would stand in for him if that’s what they end up doing.
If that were the case, they’d need someone to play first. Enter, Ryan Ward.
Ward was the logical choice for a call up as well, as he’s been consistently good in Triple-A for three years now, and was already on the 40-man roster.
Freeman isn’t likely to be out for long either, as MLB allows players to miss just one to three games to attend the birth of their child.
Will Ryan Ward Play Again Monday?
As stated previously, if the Dodgers rest Will Smith in the final game of their series against the Rockies, Ward is almost guaranteed to make an appearance at first base.
In their series finale, which starts Monday at 5:40 p.m. PT, the Dodgers will look to split the series against the Rockies after two losses on the bounce.
They’ll hope Wrobleski can stay hot and give them a good start as they look to maintain their lead atop the NL West, as the Padres closed in and sit just 0.5 games behind LA after their series win against the Los Angeles Angels .
How did you feel about Ryan Ward’s performance Sunday?
