Dodgers Option Ward, Kopp to Triple-A OKC in Second Spring Cuts

The Los Angeles Dodgers made a second round of spring-training cuts, optioning outfielder Ryan Ward and left-hander Ronan Kopp to Triple-A Oklahoma City as part of a 12-player reassignment following Sunday’s loss to the Oakland Athletics, with two weekends remaining in Arizona. The moves were described as an effort to streamline the big-league roster and beef up depth in Oklahoma City.

Ward, fresh off a Pacific Coast League MVP season at Triple-A Oklahoma City last year, was added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster in the offseason to protect him from Rule 5 selection and will return to the club where he starred in 2025. Despite the PCL hardware and his status as a fan favorite, Ward’s path to Los Angeles is crowded: Jack Suwinski’s arrival, Alex Call’s presence in the organization, and strong spring showings by James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard were cited as factors putting Ward’s big-league timeline in flux. No spring-training stat line for Ward was provided in the available reporting.

Ronan Kopp, a 12th-round pick in 2021 who will turn 24 in July, also was sent to OKC. Kopp has been on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster since the offseason or the prior Rule 5 protection window and logged mixed results across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025. He struck out 91 batters in 57 2/3 innings between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City last year but also issued 42 walks, a walk rate roughly 6.5 per nine. Level splits show a 2.53 ERA in 28 appearances at Double-A and a 4.56 ERA in 21 contests at Triple-A; another aggregation lists him 2-4 with a 3.43 ERA and two saves in 49 appearances between the two levels. In spring camp he allowed two unearned runs in five innings across five appearances, and he has been refining a fastball-slider combo while working on a splitter. Kopp put the shift in perspective, saying, "Honestly, it was just kind of switching the mentality from focusing on just development and being able to now go out there and just play the game. Just focus on getting outs. Just going out there and pitching, which is obviously a lot more fun. It's been a good time to be able to make that switch and just go out there and play."

The other 10 players sent to minor-league camp include top prospect Josue De Paula, who tied for the team lead with 15 spring games and went 9-for-27 with one double, four walks and eight strikeouts; right-hander Wyatt Mills, who allowed one run in four appearances and took the Feb. 28 loss to the Chicago Cubs; Carson Hobbs, who allowed multiple runs in three of five appearances including in the Sunday loss to the A’s; Garrett McDaniels, who has thrown 3.2 innings across four appearances and allowed multiple runs in two games; Griffin Lockwood-Powell, who appeared in nine games off the bench and outlasted Chuckie Robinson in camp; and Carlos Duran, Jackson Ferris, Kendall George, Jordan Weems and Lucas Wepf, all reassigned to minor-league camp.

Roster context underlines the decision: Los Angeles, the two-time reigning World Series champion, remains well-stocked but retains bullpen questions, particularly for a left-hander, after offseason additions and lingering contracts. The Dodgers signed Edwin Diaz this offseason while still carrying former signings such as Tanner Scott and Blake Treinen, and the club’s bullpen ranked tied for 21st in MLB with a 4.27 ERA in 2025. For Oklahoma City, Ward’s PCL MVP credentials and Kopp’s 91 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings frame the immediate upside; Kopp’s command, and whether he can convert his spring polish into fewer walks, will determine how quickly either reliever moves from depth piece to major-league option.