The Dodgers may not have a long shopping list heading into the Aug. 3 trade deadline, but they do have one area where a move makes sense: the outfield.
Los Angeles has plenty of outfield talent both on the major league roster and in the farm system, and that surplus could push the front office to deal from a position of strength. MLB insider Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic said Ryan Ward is a name to watch, noting that the Dodgers already moved one outfield prospect and would be a bit of a surprise if they didn’t move another.
"The Dodgers have already traded one of their outfield prospects, and it would qualify as somewhat of a surprise if they don’t move another," Ardaya wrote. "Ward is a trade candidate who the Dodgers listened on earlier this season, and with a dearth of outfield options on the market, Ward - a consistent Triple-A performer who debuted this season - could be a stealth option for teams looking to add a bat."
Ward, 28, has been back at Triple-A since the end of June because there wasn’t room for him in the majors. The Dodgers needed him earlier in the year after Teoscar Hernández was injured, and Ward got a real look in the big leagues.
In 20 games, he hit .218 with three home runs and 12 RBIs while putting up an OPS of .738. He also gave the Dodgers useful at-bats while sharing time with Alex Call, showing some pop when called upon.
Ward has already come up in trade conversations before, and he could bring back a minor league piece at another position. That lines up with what Los Angeles has been trying to do: add depth in the farm system outside of the outfield.
A deal could also help the Dodgers bring in a bullpen arm for the postseason, or simply add more organizational depth. Ardaya pointed to a possible path similar to the Michael Busch trade that sent him to the Chicago Cubs in 2024.
For now, Ward looks like the kind of player who fits better somewhere else than he does in the Dodgers’ current setup. With him stuck at Triple-A and the club already stocked in the outfield, he stands out as a prime trade candidate.
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