Freddie Freeman heads for paternity list; longtime minor leaguer gets the call
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed Freddie Freeman on the paternity list, allowing Ryan Ward, the reigning Pacific Coast League MVP, to be called up to the majors for the first time at age 28.
- Freeman, a nine-time All-Star, is currently batting .296 and helping the Dodgers start the season with a 15-5 record; players on the paternity list can miss between one and three games.
- Ryan Ward is hitting .324 with a 1.020 OPS at Triple-A Oklahoma City this season and was added to the Dodgers' 40-man roster this past winter after being drafted in 2019.
- Ward has spent parts of four seasons in Triple-A and was nearing minor-league free agency, prompting the Dodgers to protect him on the 40-man roster; Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged Ward’s frustration but encouraged him to keep performing.
- This call-up presents Ward with his first major-league opportunity, filling in temporarily while Freeman is on paternity leave.
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