What they’re saying about the Orioles trading Grayson Rodriguez for Taylor Ward

The Orioles’ trade of starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward is drawing a lot of reaction from those inside baseball and those who cover it. Here is a sample:

Angels GM Perry Minasian on acquiring Grayson Rodriguez:

“Is there risk? Yes, there’s risk. It’s eyes wide open on the risk. That being said, it’s four years of control. It’s somebody that, when he pitches, can beat anybody on any given night. The weapons he has and the ability to throw strikes, it’s a combination that some of the best in the game have. We’ve got high expectations. He’s somebody we’re really excited to have.”

J.J. Cooper, Baseball America:

“While there has been no further word on Rodriguez’s recovery, this trade seems to indicate the Orioles have real concerns about his recovery. As multiple evaluators inside the game noted, the trade otherwise does not make sense from the Orioles’ perspective.”

Ken Rosenthal on Foul Territory:

“I did talk to some people this morning. I think I have a little bit better feel for where the Orioles are on this. … Obviously Grayson Rodriguez, even if he’s healthy in 2026, is going to be probably on some kind of innings limit. He’s not going to pitch 150 innings in this next season after all that he’s been through, [he] hasn’t pitched since July 31, 2024 in the major leagues. So that’s 2026. But what about the next 3 years, because he’s under club control for all of them? And that’s where the Orioles are obviously showing a vote of ‘no confidence’ here in his ability to stay healthy long-term. And they feel that in getting Taylor Ward, a guy who’s a right-handed bat, and remember, there’s a shortage of right-handed hitting outfielders in this market — a severe shortage. Well, they’re going to be better in 2026 and they’re taking the gamble that Grayson Rodriguez is not going to haunt them. Obviously it is a gamble and I can see both sides of it. But what you guys were saying about giving up that long-term starting pitching asset — no team wants to do that. The fact that the Orioles did it, to me, indicates that they just feel he’s never going to be the guy we all thought he’s going to be. And now if you’re Grayson Rodriguez, you want to prove them wrong.”

Ben Clemens, FanGraphs:

“In the end, I think I like this trade for both teams, though I do think that it’s a symptom of the Orioles’ previous behavior that they found themselves in this position. Years of inaction and bargain-hunting in the outfield and starting rotation left them in a spot where they had to act decisively. Years of playing for the future mean that now, they have to sacrifice expected value to bolster the present. It’s funny to me that the Orioles are the team making the win-now move, while the Angels build for the future, but that doesn’t change the fact that this is the kind of deal that contenders and rebuilders often make. I’d take the Los Angeles side of this one for choice, but I think that Baltimore was more or less forced into it, and while this individual trade might be a net loss in the long run, making the team better right now is important enough that I think it was smart to overpay.”

Keith Law, The Athletic:

“Baltimore was a well below-average team against left-handed pitching in 2025, with an 87 wRC+ that ranked 20th in the majors, including a .297 OBP against them. Ward crushes southpaws, with a .283/.354/.470 career line against them, and had one of his best seasons against lefties in 2025. The acquisition also gives the Orioles a real surplus of corner bats and should allow them to trade one or more of those guys for more near-term pitching. I’d expect Dylan Beavers or Colton Cowser to be on the market, although they may have missed their ideal window on Cowser. The trade only works for Baltimore if it aggressively goes after pitching for 2026, though. The Orioles have to sign a significant starter — not another back-end type like Tomoyuki Sugano, who had a 5.00 ERA in the second half and allowed 14 homers in 57 innings — and trade for one as well to assemble a competitive rotation.”

Mark Feinsand, MLB.com:

“The Orioles need at least one frontline starting pitcher. We just saw them trade Grayson Rodriguez. You look at Dylan Cease, you look at Framber Valdez, maybe Michael King: they’re going to get one of those guys. They need to.”

Jim Bowden, The Athletic:

“The Orioles trade of Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels for OF Taylor Ward seems extremely lopsided in favor of the Angels with a potential future ace in Rodriguez if he ever gets healthy. The only rationale I can come up with is the O’s must think he never will get healthy.”

Jake Mintz, Yahoo Sports:

“How Ward fits into the team’s outfield mix remains an open question, but he’s still a nice boost, particularly for a lineup that was quite bad against lefties last year. Before the deal, Baltimore’s Opening Day outfield would have likely featured Colton Cowser in center field, with last season’s free agent add Tyler O’Neill and rookie Dylan Beavers in the corners. Jeremiah Jackson, a post-hype prospect who showed very well in a small sample down the stretch in ‘25, also figures to be in the mix. Ward and O’Neill will play everyday against southpaws if they’re healthy. It’s quite obvious the O’s didn’t believe in Rodriguez anymore and were willing to pull the plug too soon as opposed to too late. The Angels were an eager dance partner and Ward was their most interesting trade chip.”

Harold Reynolds, MLB Network:

“It’s a great trade for both teams. The Angels didn’t want to pay Taylor Ward moving forward; they probably weren’t going to sign him as a free agent and he’s getting bumps through the arbitration system. And then Grayson Rodriguez has been injured. … And on the Orioles side, they needed another power hitter.”

Ben Verlander, Flippin’ Bats Podcast:

“This feels to me like they’re giving up on Grayson Rodriguez. They’re tired of the injuries and they’re trying to see what they can get for him. And they got Taylor Ward who’s going to be an immediate threat in that lineup. But for the Orioles, corner outfield isn’t the need. Starting pitching is the need. So I struggle with this. It feels to me like a massive overpay from the Baltimore Orioles.”