Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani's health is "probably an eight or a nine" on a scale from 1 to 10, according to manager Dave Roberts, and is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday against the Padres.

Ward is heading to Japan after the Dodgers sold his contract to the Chunichi Dragons, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. The move comes less than a week after Los Angeles designated him for assignment. That is a pretty quick way to go from finally making the big leagues to needing a passport.

Tommy Edman and Will Smith homered as the Los Angeles Dodgers scored five runs with two outs to beat the San Diego Padres 7-0 in a series opener between rivals with the two best records in the majors this month.

Days after he was designated for assignment by the Dodgers, Ryan Ward quickly joined a new (and surprise) team.

Tommy Edman and Will Smith homered while eight Los Angeles pitchers combined on a shutout, moving the NL West champions within one win of clinching a first-round postseason bye.

The Dodgers score six of their seven runs with two outs in an inning, and eight relievers combine on a five-hit shutout in a 7-0 win. The Dodgers’ magic number to secure a top-two seed in the NL playoffs is down to one.

The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers are both red-hot as they face off for a three-game set starting on Tuesday night. The Padres have won five in a row

The Los Angeles Dodgers need to win two more games to secure their bye into the NLDS, and with six games remaining, that is a very doable task for LA — especially with Shohei Ohtani on the cusp of returning to the starting lineup.