Dodgers Place Freeman on Paternity List, Debut Ward

The Los Angeles Dodgers placed star first baseman Freddie Freeman on the paternity list Sunday, paving the way for minor league veteran Ryan Ward to make his major league debut against the Colorado Rockies in Denver.

Freeman, who announced in February that he and his wife, Chelsea, are expecting their fourth child, is eligible to miss up to three games to be with his family. The 36-year-old has started the season strongly, batting .296 with three home runs and 14 runs batted in over 20 games. He has been particularly productive lately, collecting two hits in each of his last three games and raising his average nearly 40 points in the past week.

To fill the void at first base, the Dodgers recalled Ward, a 28-year-old left-handed hitter, from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Ward, selected by Los Angeles in the eighth round of the 2019 draft, has spent seven seasons in the organization's farm system, steadily climbing the ranks without the hype of a top prospect. He reached Oklahoma City in 2024 and earned Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player honors the following year, slugging 36 home runs and driving in 122 runs over 143 games for the Comets.

This season, Ward has continued his hot...