The Baltimore Orioles made one of the highest-profile acquisitions in franchise history when they signed star first baseman Pete Alonso this past offseason, but that wasn't their only addition to the lineup. They also got veteran outfielder Taylor Ward from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez in November.

Ward is a quintessential power hitter, as he hit just .228 but tied for 10th in MLB with 36 home runs and tied for 11th with 103 RBIs last season. The 32-year-old was also 36th with a .475 slugging percentage.

Ward will start in left field for Baltimore at least for this season, as he's in his last year of arbitration. The 6-foot, 200-pounder is the team's third-most established home run hitter behind Alonso, as he has 113 career homers while Alonso has 264 and right fielder Tyler O'Neill has 118. First baseman Ryan Mountcastle is fourth with 98.

This is partially because the Orioles' lineup is dominated by players under 30. Second baseman Jackson Holliday is 22, third baseman Jordan Westburg is 27, star shortstop Gunnar Henderson is 24, center fielder Colton Cowser is 26, right fielder Dylan Beavers is 24, designated hitter/catcher Samuel Basallo is 21, and catcher Adley Rutschman is 28. Ward and Alonso (32) are the only everyday starters over 30, so they've had more time to establish themselves.

That doesn't mean Ward and Alonso will be more successful in Baltimore, but they will play key roles as veteran power-hitters. Other than Henderson and Rutschman, none of those other players has an extensive track record of success in the big leagues. Rutschman is also coming off a down season, as he logged a .673 OPS over 90 games after earning All-Star nods in 2023 and 2024. The 2019 No. 1 overall pick could be expendable if he struggles again and Basallo breaks out.

Having a younger lineup isn't a bad thing, as the Orioles are trusting their homegrown talent. But young players can be volatile, so Ward and Alonso must be stabilizing presences this season. 

Luckily for Baltimore, Ward has looked the part so far. The 2015 first-round pick slashed .281/.425/.469 with three homers and eight RBIs over 13 games in spring training and is healthy ahead of their Opening Day matchup with the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.

Ward is making $12.1 million this year (per Spotrac), and he'll be worth that investment if he produces that slash line in the regular season.