The Orioles claimed Ward off waivers from the Nationals on Monday, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Ward, who turns 28 in January, spent all of this season at Triple-A Rochester, posting a 5.64 ERA and 107:94 K:BB over 119.2 innings. He will likely begin 2025 as rotation depth at Triple-A Norfolk.
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Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Sent to Triple-A
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The Nationals optioned Ward to Triple-A Rochester on Monday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Ward spent all of last season on the Nationals' active roster or on the injured list after Washington selected him in the Rule 5 Draft, but his 6.37 ERA and 1.61 WHIP over 35.1 innings out of the bullpen suggested that he wasn't quite big-league ready. Now that he's eligible to be optioned to the minors, Ward could end up spending the bulk of the campaign at Rochester, where he'll be a part of the rotation after he was limited exclusively to relief work in the big leagues in 2023.
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Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Returns from injured list
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Ward (shoulder) was activated from the 15-day injured list Thursday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Ward had been on the shelf since July 3 with right shoulder inflammation. Though the Rule 5 selection had been working in relief for the Nationals this season, he got stretched out for starting duty during his time on the rehab assignment, covering five innings in both of his final two outings at Double-A Harrisburg. The Nationals don't appear to have an opening in their six-man rotation at the moment, so Ward will likely work in long relief for the time being. He could be a candidate to get a start or two down the stretch, however.
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Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Hits five innings in rehab start
Rotowire
Ward (shoulder) struck out three while allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk over five innings in his most recent rehab start Friday for Double-A Harrisburg.
Ward, who has been on the shelf since July 3 with right shoulder inflammation, was making the sixth appearance of his rehab assignment overall and his second straight at Harrisburg. He's now covered exactly five innings in his last two outings and built up to 79 pitches (51 strikes) in Friday's start. Though all 22 of his appearances with Washington this season have come as a reliever, Ward looks on track to get a look as a starter once he returns from the 15-day injured list. The Nationals currently have an opening in the rotation Wednesday at Pittsburgh, and Ward could be a candidate to either start that game or work as a bulk reliever behind an opener.
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Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Could join rotation in September
Rotowire
Ward (shoulder) will make his next rehab appearance Thursday at High-A Wilmington, and the Nationals intend to stretch him out for a possible role in the rotation in September, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
Taken in this year's Rule 5 draft from the Red Sox system, Ward struggled to a 7.12 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and 26:24 K:BB through his first 30.1 big-league innings, all in relief, before being sidelined in early July with shoulder inflammation. The 26-year-old right-hander is seen as a possible future rotation piece however, and with the club keeping an eye on the workloads of young starters MacKenzie Gore and Jake Irvin, there could be an opening for Ward over the final weeks. He's hoping to build up to four innings in Thursday's game after tossing five total innings across two appearances for the Nats' FCL affiliate last week.
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Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Starts rehab assignment
Rotowire
Ward (shoulder) began a rehab assignment with the Nationals' Florida Complex League team Monday.
Ward yielded a pair of runs over two innings of work in his first game action since going down with a shoulder injury in early July. He figures to require a few more appearances before rejoining the Nationals' bullpen.
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Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Bullpen session Friday
Rotowire
Ward (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Ward is only going to throw fastballs and changeups during the workout, but it represents a significant step forward in his recovery from the right shoulder inflammation that sent him to the injured list July 3. He's currently on track to return to the Nationals' bullpen around mid-August.
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Nationals' Thaddeus Ward: Hits IL with shoulder inflammation
Rotowire
The Nationals placed Ward on the 15-day injured list Monday with right shoulder inflammation, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
The rookie Rule 5 selection will head to the IL to clear a spot on the 26-man active roster for lefty Patrick Corbin (personal), who was reinstated from the bereavement list ahead of his scheduled start Tuesday versus the Reds. Considering Ward owns a 7.12 ERA and 1.65 WHIP and has yet to record a hold or save among his 22 relief appearances this season, his move to the IL should go largely unnoticed in fantasy circles.
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Nationals' Thad Ward: Rookie struggles continue
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Ward gave up three runs on two hits and a walk in an inning of relief in Sunday's loss to the Phillies. He struck out two.
The right-hander served up a three-run homer to Kyle Schwarber in the ninth inning, but the game was already well out of reach for the Nationals. Ward has been tagged for three home runs in his last eight innings, inflating his ERA to 5.23 on the season to go along with a shaky 18.6 percent walk rate. A Rule 5 pick out of the Red Sox system, the rebuilding Nats will live with his growing pains, but Ward isn't likely to see any kind of fantasy-friendly role in 2023.
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Nationals' Thad Ward: Still in running for bullpen spot
Rotowire
Ward remains in the mix to break camp as part of the Nationals' Opening Day bullpen, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
A Rule 5 pick, Ward would have to be offered back to the Red Sox if he doesn't make the roster, giving the Nats extra incentive to find room for him. The 26-year-old right-hander hasn't been a reliever since college and the adjustment to the bullpen this spring hasn't exactly been smooth -- seven of his eight Grapefruit League appearances have been scoreless, but his 11:6 K:BB through 8.2 innings highlights both his upside and his inconsistency. Ward's future might still lie in the rotation, but if he sticks in Washington, expect him to be used primarily as a low-leverage long reliever to begin his big-league career.
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Nationals' Thad Ward: Selected by Washington
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Ward was selected by the Nationals with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 Rule 5 draft, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Ward missed the start of the 2022 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2021, but he returned to game action in early August. He made 13 total starts in the minors last year and posted a 2.28 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 51.1 innings. After dealing with an oblique injury to close out the 2022 season, he should be back to full health in time for spring training in 2023. Ward will be stretched out as a starter this spring but will likely spend most of 2023 as a long reliever. However, general manager Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that the team sees the right-hander as a starter in the long run, per Zuckerman.
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Red Sox's Thad Ward: Overcomes oblique strain
Rotowire
Ward (oblique) is expected to make his return to action in the Arizona Fall League later this week, Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com reports.
Ward was removed from his second AFL start on Oct. 10 due to a left oblique strain, but he looks like he'll be able to make a start or an appearance or two as a reliever for the Scottsdale club before the AFL season comes to a close. Whatever the case, the 25-year-old righty looks like he'll be back to full health well in advance of spring training.
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Red Sox's Thad Ward: Exits AFL start
Rotowire
Ward was removed from his start Monday in the Arizona Fall League due to side discomfort, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.
While the side injury might be significant enough to keep Ward out for the remainder of the AFL slate, the Red Sox are likely just relieved that the right-hander isn't dealing with any arm-related setbacks after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2021. Due to his prolonged recovery from the elbow procedure, Ward made just seven starts for Double-A Portland this season and was expected to pick up more innings in the AFL. The 25-year-old is expected to either return to Portland to begin the 2023 campaign or join the Triple-A Worcester rotation.
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Red Sox's Thad Ward: Good to go for Portland
Rotowire
Double-A Portland activated Ward (elbow) from its 60-day injured list in advance of his season debut for the affiliate Thursday against Erie, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Ward made two starts for Portland in 2021 before requiring Tommy John surgery last June and missing the remainder of the season. He was out of action for the first three months of the current campaign before he began a rehab assignment July 1 in the lower rungs of the minors. Over six outings that included stops in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, Single-A Salem and High-A Greenville, Ward covered 18 innings and submitted a 2.00 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 25:5 K:BB.
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Red Sox's Thad Ward: Rehabbing at High-A
Rotowire
Ward (elbow) made his most recent rehab appearance Saturday for High-A Greenville, covering four innings and striking out three while allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk.
Ward has spent the entire 2022 campaign on Double-A Portland's 60-day injured list while he's been rehabbing from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last June, but the 25-year-old right-hander looks like he could soon be ready to rejoin the Red Sox's Eastern League affiliate. Saturday's outing with Greenville marked the sixth start of his rehab assignment, and his longest one to date.
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Red Sox's Thaddeus Ward: Throws sim game
Rotowire
Ward (elbow) threw a sim game recently and is hoping to begin a rehab assignment shortly, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.
Ward underwent Tommy John surgery in June of 2021 and is ramping up his recovery. He seemingly remains on track to get some work in late this summer after being activated from the injured list, though Boston is likely to take a cautious approach to Ward's recovery.
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Red Sox's Thaddeus Ward: Throwing in camp
Rotowire
Ward (elbow) threw Friday as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Ward underwent the procedure in early June of last year. A typical recovery timeline would give him a chance to pitch late in the upcoming season, though he's unlikely to throw a significant number of innings.
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Red Sox's Thaddeus Ward: Undergoes Tommy John surgery
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Ward underwent Tommy John surgery Thursday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Ward is one of the Red Sox's more interesting prospects, as he cruised to a 2.14 ERA and a 29.9 percent strikeout rate in 25 starts at the Low-A and High-A levels in 2019 before losing all of last season due to the canceled minor-league schedule. He made just two starts this year before being shut down with what was originally called a forearm strain. A typical recovery timeline would sideline him until late in the 2022 campaign at the earliest, and there's a chance he doesn't throw his next competitive pitch until 2023.
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Red Sox's Thaddeus Ward: Sidelined with forearm strain
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Double-A Portland placed Ward on its 7-day injured list Tuesday with a right forearm strain, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
The 24-year-old right-hander is viewed as one of the top pitching prospects in the organization. He split time between the Low-A and High-A level in his last minor-league season in 2019, posting a 2.14 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 157:57 K:BB in 126.1 innings. The Red Sox won't have a clear idea on the extent of Ward's injury until after he undergoes further testing, but even if his UCL is confirmed to be intact and he's revealed to have only suffered a minor strain, he'll still likely miss more than the minimum seven days.
