Acting-GM and president of baseball operations Mike Elias said that the Baltimore Orioles were in the market for a power hitter and looking to make a splash this offseason.
The first domino fell and it’s a cannon ball of a splash, as multiple industry sources have reported that the Orioles have traded right-hander Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for outfielder Taylor Ward.
Rodriguez, who has struggled to stay healthy since making his major league debut, has proven he is capable of pitching in the big leagues, as he has a 20-8 record across 43 games.
The biggest issue with Rodriguez is that he has yet to complete a full season, having missed the first part of 2023, the final month-plus of 2024 and the entire 2025 season. If Rodriguez could stay healthy, he does have the stuff to be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, as he has struck out 259 batters in 238.2 innings.
In return, the Birds will receive slugging outfielder Taylor Ward, who will turn 32 in December.
Ward is in his final year of arbitration and will provide veteran leadership and presence in a lineup filled with young talent.
Ward slashed .228/.317/.475/.792 with 36 home runs, 103 RBIs and 31 doubles across 159 games last season. It was his second season playing 150-plus games.
Ward collected 52% of his hits as extra-base hits and carried an .819 OPS with runners in scoring position.
The Dayton, OH, native has the ability to play catcher, third base, first base and all three outfield positions. He has collected 12 outfield assists over the last two seasons while playing left field and holds a .988 fielding percentage for his career in left.
We would like to welcome Taylor Ward to Baltimore and look forward to his success in Charm City, while wishing Grayson Rodriguez the best of luck in his career going forward.
What are your thoughts on this trade? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
Represent The Baltimore Battery and show off your fandom with our official merchandise! Reasonably-priced attire made just for you! Visit our official shop site by clicking here!
Like Stephen’s content? Follow him on X – @SRJHeckman, and listen to the official podcast of The Baltimore Battery, The Final Strike, anywhere you get your podcasts!
THE BALTIMORE BATTERY 
Leave a comment