Angels traded their slugger for a pitcher who can't even debut. Meanwhile, the former Angel leads the league in hits.
The Los Angeles Angels kicked off last offseason with a huge trade that sent away slugging outfielder Taylor Ward in exchange for right-handed pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, but they may already be regretting their decision.
Just a couple of weeks into the 2026 season, the trade is already trending in the wrong direction from the Angels’ perspective. While they have yet to see any production from their new pitcher, their former outfielder is off to a scorching hot start with the Baltimore Orioles.
Now in his final year of team control, Ward is well on his way to earning a huge contract this offseason in free agency. For a postseason hopeful like the Orioles, Ward has been exactly what they needed.
In 12 games as of Thursday morning, Ward has recorded an American League-leading 18 hits and a league-leading nine doubles. He’s yet to smash his first home run in an Orioles uniform, but he has still driven in eight runs so far. His slash line reads a ridiculous .383/.463/.574 with a 1.039 OPS.
Ward’s hot start doesn't come as much of a surprise for Angels fans, who have had their fair share of seeing the 32-year-old enjoy hot stretches. Just last year, Ward totaled 36 home runs and drove in 103 runs on his way to a .792 OPS.
The Angels knew what they were giving up, however. Knowing they were unlikely to keep Ward once he hit free agency, the front office made the decision to trade the outfielder and get some value in return.
That’s where the regret is starting to come in. Not because of the decision to get value in return for Ward, but for who they chose to get in return.
Rodriguez was once one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. In 43 career starts, the 26-year-old has recorded a respectable 4.11 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. To get a young pitcher like that in return wouldn’t be bad business, but there is more that comes with Rodriguez than those numbers.
He has had major injury concerns in his young career, even missing the entirety of the 2025 campaign due to bone spurs. Heading into 2026 with his new club, the Angels were hopeful that he would be all ready to make his return to the mound.
Rodriguez made four starts in spring, where he was okay, but things only got worse when it was announced he would start the year on the injured list because of dead arm.
While Rodriguez has yet to even make his Angels debut, Ward is in the midst of a career year in Baltimore. In typical Angels fashion, this could be yet another offseason move that ages poorly for the club.
Perhaps it’s unfair to jump to those conclusions just yet, however. Ward’s numbers will inevitably fall back down to Earth, and Rodriguez is progressing to make his debut sometime soon. It’s too early to call this trade a loss when Rodriguez hasn't even gotten a chance to pitch in the regular season just yet, but the durability concerns were a big storyline of the trade to begin with.
The Angels knew what they were getting with Rodriguez, and now they are paying the price. The hope is that when he returns, Rodriguez can make up for it with some much-needed pitching for an Angels team lacking in that department.