Angels, Orioles fill needs with this surprising trade

The Baltimore Orioles were looking to add a right-handed hitting outfielder during the offseason. The Los Angeles Angels, meanwhile, needed to add talent to a thin pitching staff. A trade between the two teams has begun the process of filling those holes on the roster.

The Orioles traded pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels on Tuesday night. In exchange, the Angels sent outfielder Taylor Ward to Baltimore.

This trade may provide a window into the expectations of both teams. Ward is slated to become a free agent after the upcoming season, a win-now move for a team looking to prove that a dismal 2025 showing was an aberration. Rodriguez, meanwhile, is under team control through the 2029 season.

Angels, Orioles trade a possible win for both teams

In addition to balancing out a lefty-hitting outfield, the 31-year-old Ward gives the Orioles a power element that they were lacking in the lineup. He produced a .228/.317/.475 batting line over 663 plate appearances, hitting 36 homers and 31 doubles. Although Ward is strictly a left fielder at this stage of his career, his powerful bat mitigates his lack of defensive versatility.

Rodriguez missed the entire 2025 season due to a myriad of injuries. A consensus top-100 prospect from 2020-23, Rodriguez had begun to live up to expectations in 2024 before a strained right lat ended his season. He posted a solid 3.86 ERA and a 1.243 WHiP over 116.2 innings, striking out 130 batters with 36 walks. Rodriguez underwent elbow surgery in August and is expected to return to the mound in either March or April.

This trade may end up as a victory for both sides. Rodriguez gives the Angels a needed starter to slot behind Yusei Kikuchi in the rotation and could establish himself as a top-of-the-rotation arm if he is fully healthy. Ward adds a dangerous power hitter to a solid lineup. Should the Orioles return to the postseason with Ward as a factor, he would be well worth the cost.