Angels’ offseason looks even worse after Grayson Rodriguez injury news

The Los Angeles Angels' offseason was defined by the gamble they took at the start of it. Taylor Ward was one of the biggest trade chips the Angels had--an impact bat one year away from free agency--and Perry Minasian cashed in by dealing him to the Baltimore Orioles for oft-injured starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez.

From a service time perspective, it was a no-brainer to trade one season of an aging slugger for multiple years of control over a young starting pitcher. Still, Rodriguez's injury history couldn't be overlooked. A combination of shoulder and elbow injuries sidelined him for the entire 2025 season, and most evaluators weren't exactly sure how healthy he was at the time of the deal.

The Angels weren't concerned, opting against giving Rodriguez a physical, and that adds even more frustration to the decision made over the weekend. After revealing last week that Rodriguez was dealing with "dead arm", the Angels have placed the 26-year-old starting pitcher on the IL ahead of Opening Day.

Grayson Rodriguez's IL news ahead of Opening Day is a terrible look for the Angels' front office

Even after the IL move, the Angels are stressing that there's nothing to see here. Over the weekend, Kurt Suzuki told reporters that Rodriguez is participating in most baseball activities and is still playing catch. Considering Rodriguez hasn't pitched in a game of consequence since 2024, the impression from the Angels is that they want to take their time and be cautious.

All those things could certainly be true, but the optics surrounding Rodriguez and the trade don't look good for the Angels. No, physicals before trades can be completed aren't required, but one would think of that as an obvious box to check when trading for a pitcher with a checkered medical history.

Not only is this playing out for the Rodriguez the same way it did for the Orioles last year, but it's serving as a reminder that, for as bad as Arte Moreno is, he is far from the only problem in the organization.

Fortunately, Minasian's contract expires after this season, and with the trade for Rodriguez already looking awful, it's more confirmation that the Angels will have a new regime next winter.