The Orioles aren’t waiting for Grayson Rodriguez to get healthy any longer. 

Baltimore traded the oft-injured right-hander to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Taylor Ward on Tuesday night, pulling off a stunning deal that pushed the Orioles’ chips further into the middle of the table for 2026. Both clubs announced the deal. 

Rodriguez, who turned 26 on Sunday, hasn’t pitched in an MLB game since July 31, 2024. The former top pitching prospect flashed front-of-the-rotation upside when healthy but struggled to stay on the field, ending the 2024 season on the injured list with a lat strain and missing the entire 2025 campaign with elbow and tricep injuries. 

He underwent elbow debridement surgery in August and was expected to be ready for the 2026 season. Rodriguez is under team control through 2029 and he won’t be arbitration eligible until 2027. 

Ward, 31, is heading into his walk year after enjoying a career season for the Angels, launching a personal-best 36 home runs and 103 RBIs while batting .228 with a .792 OPS. He plays primarily left field but also has experience in right. Like Rodriguez, Ward is a former first-round pick whose career was derailed by injuries early, but he’s since turned in two consecutive healthy seasons to emerge as a right-handed power threat. 

This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich.