Grading the Angels-Orioles trade that landed Halos their future ace

The Angels made a huge splash on Tuesday night, kicking off their offseason with a bang by trading outfielder and long-time slugger Taylor Ward to the Baltimore Orioles. In return, they received a young, promising starter in Grayson Rodriguez. Both fan bases are reasonably excited about this deal, as they should be, but there is little doubt about which side received the better end of this deal.

Grading Angels-Orioles swap of Taylor Ward and Grayson Rodriguez

The Orioles had two massive needs going into the offseason: a slugging corner outfielder and frontline starting pitching. This deal solves one of those problems, as Taylor Ward was among the best power hitters in baseball last season. For 2026 at least, the Orioles are going to have a rock solid bat in the middle of their order. Their rotation is an even bigger question mark now, though, as Rodriguez reportedly will be ready for Spring Training this upcoming season. They have unquestionably filled the left field at Camden Yards - but Ward's defense may be a bigger problem with the left field wall sitting at 384 feet from home plate compared to 347 feet at The Big A. Overall, this grade could be improved upon if the Orioles can successfully fill out their roster in free agency.

Orioles' Grade: C+

As for the Angels, this is an absolute steal. Ward was a fan favorite and one of the best players for this team over the last three seasons, but the Angels had a roster clog at corner outfield (and could still find a center fielder on the trade block) and used their excess to fill their biggest hole. And they did not just find a veteran on a short deal, they found a young arm with four years of team control left on his contract in Grayson Rodriguez. The former first round pick was consisently ranked as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, as he was the seventh best prospect in baseball at the time of his debut in 2023.

Rodriguez is coming off of a missed season in 2025 due to multiple injuries on his right elbow, one of which required surgery in August. Even if Rodriguez was not going to be ready for Spring Training, this trade would still be a no-brainer for the Angels. When he pitches, Rodriguez has the stuff to be the best pitcher in Anaheim, and one of the best in the entire league. Missing 2025 stalled his development surely, but all of his numbers showed improvement from 2023 to 2024. There will be speed bumps in 2026, but for a team planning to contend in the later years of the 2020's, Rodriguez aligns with Soriano and Detmers as the future of the rotation in Anaheim for the rest of the decade.

Angels Grade: A+