Angels trade Taylor Ward to Orioles for pitcher Grayson Rodriguez
by Alex Butler · UPINov. 19 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Angels traded outfielder Taylor Ward to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for right-handed pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, the teams announced.
The Angels and Orioles completed the deal Tuesday night.
Ward, 31, hit .228 with a career-high 36 home runs and 103 RBIs over 157 appearances last season for the Angels. The No. 26 overall pick by the Angels in the 2015 MLB Draft hit .247 with 113 home runs over the first eight years of his career. Ward hit a career-best .281 over 135 appearances in 2022.
The veteran outfielder is third-year arbitration eligible. He can become a free agent next off-season.
Rodriguez, 26, went 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA over 20 starts in 2024 for the Orioles. The No. 11 overall pick by the Orioles in the 2018 MLB Draft made his MLB debut in 2023. He went 7-4 with a 4.35 ERA over 23 starts that season.
He injured an elbow during spring training, underwent surgery and did not play in 2025, but is expected to be ready for spring training. Rodriguez isn't eligible for arbitration until 2027.
The Angels had the worst pitching staff in the American League last season, with a 4.89 ERA. They also allowed the second-most home runs (223) in MLB, behind the Colorado Rockies (251).
Orioles pitchers posted the third-worst ERA (4.60) in the American League.