Ford played 17 games for the Cincinnati Reds in 2024, hitting .150/.177/.233 with one home run and 15 strikeouts. He was designated for assignment and decided to play in Japan, where he hit .211/.281/.429 with eight home runs and 24 strikeouts in 41 games. The 32-year-old is a career .205 hitter with a .700 OPS and even though he hit 16 home runs for the Mariners in 2023, the Twins will likely hope he doesn’t have to become a regular in their starting lineup.

Ford was designated for assignment on Wednesday, but won’t report to the minor leagues. The 31-year-old journeyman first baseman hit .150 with one home run in 17 games for the Reds. He’ll hope to catch on with another team.

Ford hit .150/.177/.233 over 62 plate appearances in his three weeks with the Reds. Taking him out of the mix means more time at first base for Spencer Steer and DH for Nick Martini, though it’d already been trending that way anyway.

Ford will not get the start even with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the bump for the Dodgers. Nick Martini is the designated hitter and hitting sixth while Ford is on the bench.