Sports

Dodgers Sign Infielder, Recall Top Prospect, Place Teoscar Hernandez on IL in Massive Roster Move

By Noah Camras Sports Illustrated

The Los Angeles Dodgers have made a massive roster move ahead of Friday's series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies.

All-Star outfielder Teoscar Hernández was placed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain, while top prospect Ryan Ward was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take his spot.

Additionally, infielder Hyeseong Kim was optioned, while Santiago Espinal was re-signed and added to the roster. To make room on the 40-man roster for Espinal, left-handed pitcher Blake Snell was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Hernández exited Wednesday's game against the Colorado Rockies after injuring his hamstring while trying to run out a ground ball. He was visibly frustrated in the dugout, and after the game, manager Dave Roberts confirmed he'd be going on the IL.

"Disappointing," Roberts said of the injury. "He's been playing so well, and he's a big part of what we're doing. So to lose him for any length of time is not great."

Regarding how long he'd be out, Roberts said on Wednesday: "There's just no timeline, but something like that obviously is going to be a few weeks at the minimum."

Fortunately, Roberts said on Friday it's a Grade 1 strain.

Hernández has been a key run producer in the middle (and sometimes back) of the Dodgers lineup, hitting .276 with seven home runs, 31 RBIs and an OPS of .785.

After a slow start to the year, he'd been heating up as of late, hitting .346 with an OPS of .973 over the last 15 games.

Now, the Dodgers will be without Hernández for at least the next few weeks in a brutal development for the team. They also lost Kiké Hernández to a significant oblique strain just two days into his return from the 60-day IL, making the Dodgers suddenly thin in the right-handed bat department.

Thus, the team brought back Espinal, who will be a right-handed bat off the bench while Kim goes to the minor leagues amid his recent struggles.

Dodgers Call Up Ryan Ward

As for the other part of the move, Ward is getting his second opportunity with the Dodgers this year - and this one should be much longer.

Ward initially made his MLB debut earlier this year when Freddie Freeman went on the paternity list. It was a long time coming for the Dodgers' eighth-round pick in 2019, who waited seven years to finally get the call to the big leagues.

"He's been a Dodgers farmhand for a long time, and we've asked him to do a lot of different things - hit for power, control the strike zone more, hit for average, and improve the defense," Roberts said of Ward when he first got called up. "He's done all that. He earned every bit of this opportunity. It's validation for all the hard work he's put in."

Ward's stay didn't last long, though, as he appeared in just two games - going 2-for-6 with an RBI - before going back down to Triple-A.

The reigning Pacific Coast League MVP hasn't been as dominant in the minor leagues this season, hitting .254 with six home runs, 31 RBIs and an OPS of .797. In his MVP season last year, he hit .290 with 36 home runs, 122 RBIs and an OPS of .937.

Ward is expected to get some opportunities in left field. He could also spell Freeman at first base.

Either way, it's the first real long-term opportunity for the longtime Dodgers prospect who's been blocked for so many years.

Ward is currently ranked as the team's No. 19 prospect, per MLB Pipeline.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as Dodgers Sign Infielder, Recall Top Prospect, Place Teoscar Hernandez on IL in Massive Roster Move.

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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 6:04 PM.

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