ANAHEIM -- The Angels made their first big move of the offseason on Tuesday, acquiring right-hander Grayson Rodriguez from the Orioles in exchange for left fielder Taylor Ward.
The Angels are in the market for starting pitching this offseason, with the rotation including only right-hander José Soriano and left-handers Yusei Kikuchi and Reid Detmers. Rodriguez, 26, gives the Halos upside as a starter, but he missed the 2025 season after undergoing debridement surgery on his right elbow to remove bone spurs. He’s expected to be ready for Spring Training and is under team control through 2029, giving the Angels a much-needed cost-controlled pitcher.
Signings & Trades
• Latest free-agent and trade rumors
• Top 30 free agents | Every free agent, by position
• Tracking every team's offseason moves
• FA guides: Tucker | Bregman | Schwarber | Valdez | Alonso
• Offseason dates, rules & terms explained
“The opportunity presented itself for us to add what we feel like has a chance to be a really impactful starting pitcher for not only the short term, but the long term,” general manager Perry Minasian said. “And Grayson is somebody that we've always admired from an arm-talent standpoint, from stuff, his ability to throw strikes, his execution of pitches. But it comes down to health.”
Ward, who is set to be a free agent after the 2026 season, became expendable because the Angels have several corner outfielders in Mike Trout, Jo Adell and Jorge Soler. They now are likely to acquire a true center fielder via free agency or trade, although they have Bryce Teodosio, Kyren Paris and No. 7 prospect Nelson Rada as internal options.
The trade also frees up some salary, as Ward was expected to earn roughly $13 million-$14 million in his last year of salary arbitration while Rodriguez isn’t arbitration-eligible until 2027.
“It's a long offseason, so we'll continue to look,” Minasian said. “We have some depth in the outfield we feel good about. But we're still going to look for players to improve, areas to improve, and the outfield might be a spot now where we might add somebody. It’s not only acquiring somebody we feel like can impact the rotation, but a freeing up money to maybe get into areas where we wouldn't have been able to before.”
Rodriguez was solid in 2024, posting a 3.86 ERA with 130 strikeouts, 36 walks and 15 homers allowed in 116 2/3 innings over 20 starts. He had a 4.35 ERA with 129 strikeouts, 42 walks and 16 homers surrendered in 122 innings across 23 outings as a rookie in '23.
He was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 Draft by the Orioles and has shown plenty of promise, but he has sustained his fair share of injuries as well. He missed 58 days with a lat strain in '24 and also dealt with right shoulder inflammation earlier that season.
Rodriguez said he believes his injuries have been related to the bone spurs that he had been dealing with for the last three or four years. He said he’s excited to work with veteran pitching coach Mike Maddux and is open to making any tweaks, but he doesn’t believe he needs to overhaul his mechanics.
“I've had them for a while, and kind of just got to the point where I couldn't really pitch through it,” Rodriguez said. “I’m pretty sure that's kind of what was causing some of the lat injuries. So just being able to get those out of there. My arm feels great right now throwing. There's really no question for me to be ready for Spring Training.”
The Angels are still expected to add another starter via free agency or trade, and they are now in the market for a center fielder, third baseman and possibly even a second baseman. They’re interested in a left-handed bat and saw one come off the market on Tuesday, with left-handed-hitting center fielder Trent Grisham accepting the Yankees’ qualifying offer. Free agent Cedric Mullins could be a fit, while the A’s designated left-handed-hitting center fielder JJ Bleday on Tuesday.
Ward, 31, is coming off a breakout year offensively, slashing .228/.317/.475 with 36 homers, 31 doubles and 103 RBIs in 157 games as the club's regular left fielder. He's garnered trade interest in recent seasons, and the Angels decided to finally make the move given their outfield depth and need for starting pitching. But Ward is another longtime Halos player now off the roster, as he made his debut with the club in 2018, meaning only Trout has been on the roster since before the ’20 season.
“It was a very difficult trade to make in the sense of how much I love Taylor Ward,” Minasian said. “Just the type of person he is, what he's done for us, what he's done for this organization.”