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Alden Gonzalez
The Baltimore ballclub acquired outfielder Taylor Ward from the Los Angeles ballclub in exchange for right-handed pitcher Grayson Rodriguez on Tuesday night, a compelling player-for-player exchange that addressed identified needs for both organizations.
The Orioles entered the offseason aiming for an outfielder with considerable hitting ability, and they are acquiring precisely that in Ward, who is approaching his ultimate season before free agency. The Angels were looking for a leading rotation pitcher and are aspiring to find exactly that in Rodriguez, a formerly encouraging prospect who spent the 2025 season dealing with an injury.
Rodriguez, a 26-year-old whose contract entitles the team to another four years of control, was selected No. 11 overall out of secondary school in 2018 and displayed potential in his initial two seasons in the major leagues, registering a 4.11 earned run average with 259 strikeouts against 78 walks across 238⅔ innings from 2023 to 2024. However, an elbow ailment arose in spring training of 2025, then reappeared in the summer and ultimately resulted in debridement surgery to eliminate bone fragments, hindering him from pitching for the entire season.
Rodriguez, however, is predicted to be ready for spring training.
Ward, who will reach 32 next month, was drafted 26th overall as a catcher in 2015, subsequently transitioned to third base and discovered a permanent position in left field. His most significant adjustment, nonetheless, involved overhauling his swing to capitalize on a patient-yet-powerful approach, one that completely manifested itself during these past two seasons. From 2024 to 2025, Ward recorded a .237/.320/.450 split with 61 home runs and 178 runs batted in while being positioned 25th among 316 hitters in chase rate.
By trading Ward, the Angels resolved an abundance of corner outfielders that also featured Mike Trout, Jo Adell and Jorge Soler. They would still prefer to incorporate a center fielder.
With the Orioles, Ward can supply the outfield group with increased steady productivity alongside Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill. The Orioles were previously anticipated to be among the more proactive teams for starting pitching this offseason, and Rodriguez’s departure renders that requirement even more crucial.
It wasn’t long ago that Rodriguez was projected to aid in leading their rotation. He registered a 2.26 earned run average in the final 12 starts of his rookie season in 2023, then initiated 2024 with a 3.86 earned run average and 130 strikeouts across 116⅔ innings through the end of July. A lat/teres ailment compelled him to miss the last two months, but the Orioles were still relying on him to be a major contributor the ensuing season.
Rodriguez’s presence was a major factor as to why the front office did not operate more proactively in pursuit of external support — and his injury evolved into a major factor as to why the team fell significantly short of expectations. With the Angels, he’ll slide into the rotation alongside Yusei Kikuchi, Jose Soriano and transitioning reliever Reid Detmers, aspiring to reinforce a staff that topped the American League in earned run average in 2025. And by exchanging Ward for Rodriguez, who is still in the pre-arbitration phase of his career, the Angels preserved roughly $13 million in salary for 2026.
