The Baltimore Orioles acquired outfielder Taylor Ward from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for right-hander Grayson Rodriguez on Tuesday night, an intriguing one-for-one swap that filled clear needs for both teams.
The Orioles went into the offseason seeking a power-hitting outfielder and get one in Ward, who is entering his final season before free agency. The Angels sought a top-of-the-rotation starter and hope to get one in Rodriguez, a once-promising prospect who spent the 2025 season sidelined by injury.
Rodriguez, a 26-year-old whose contract allows the team four more years of control, was drafted No. 11 overall out of high school in 2018 and showed promise in his first two seasons in the big leagues, posting a 4.11 ERA with 259 strikeouts against 78 walks in 238⅔ innings from 2023 to 2024. But an elbow injury popped up in spring training of 2025, then reemerged in the summer and ultimately led to debridement surgery to remove bone chips, preventing him from pitching all season.
Rodriguez, though, is expected to be ready for spring training.
Ward, who will turn 32 next month, was drafted 26th overall as a catcher in 2015, then transitioned to third base and found a home in left field. His biggest adjustment, though, was overhauling his swing to tap into a patient-yet-powerful approach, one that fully manifested itself over these past two seasons. From 2024 to 2025, Ward slashed .237/.320/.450 with 61 home runs and 178 RBIs while ranking 25th among 316 hitters in chase rate.
By trading Ward, the Angels cleared a glut of corner outfielders that also included Mike Trout, Jo Adell and Jorge Soler. They'd still like to add a center fielder.
On the Orioles, Ward can provide the outfield group with more steady production alongside Colton Cowser and Tyler O'Neill. The Orioles already were expected to be among the more aggressive teams for starting pitching this offseason, and Rodriguez's departure makes that need even more acute.
It wasn't long ago that Rodriguez was expected to help front their rotation. He posted a 2.26 ERA in the last 12 starts of his rookie season in 2023, then began 2024 with a 3.86 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 116⅔ innings through the end of July. A lat/teres injury forced him to miss the last two months, but the Orioles were still counting on him to be a major contributor the following season.
Rodriguez's presence was a major reason the front office did not act more aggressively in pursuit of outside help -- and his injury became a major reason the team fell way short of expectations. On the Angels, he'll slot into the rotation alongside Yusei Kikuchi, Jose Soriano and transitioning reliever Reid Detmers, hoping to bolster a staff that led the American League in ERA in 2025. And by swapping Ward for Rodriguez, who is still in the pre-arbitration stage of his career, the Angels saved roughly $13 million in salary for 2026.