The Los Angeles Angels have traded outfielder Taylor Ward to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, the clubs announced Tuesday night. It’s the first major trade of the offseason, sending a slugging outfielder to Baltimore and a young arm to Anaheim.

Ward, 31, has been with the Angels since he was selected in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He’s coming off a career season in which he hit 36 home runs and posted a .792 OPS.

Rodriguez, 26, missed the entire 2025 season with shoulder and elbow issues. He hasn’t made a start since July 31, 2024. Before that, he was one of the top young arms for Baltimore.

The Angels said they expect Rodriguez to be ready for spring training. Starting pitching is one of many pressing needs for the Angels’ roster.

Ward will be entering his walk year in 2026 but will provide a boost to an Orioles outfield that struggled last season. Baltimore shipped away Cedric Mullins and Ramon Laureano mid-season. And outfielders Tyler O’Neill, Dylan Carlson and Heston Kjerstad all posted negative WARs.

Ward is expected to earn $13.7 million in arbitration next season, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

Rodriguez is still on his rookie contract and has years of team control. Over 20 starts in 2024, he recorded 116 2/3 innings and a 3.86 ERA. He has a 100 ERA+, indicating he was around league average during his big-league tenure.

The big-picture concern is his health. Rodriguez, a first-round pick in 2018, underwent debridement surgery for his elbow in August to remove bone chips. He also dealt with a lat strain earlier in the season.

The trade allows the Angels to move Jo Adell back to a corner outfield spot, where he has been better defensively. Last season, Adell was worth negative-13 defensive runs saved in center field, where he played primarily. In 2024, he was worth plus-six defensive runs saved in right field.

The Angels have an outfielder roster conundrum. Though Mike Trout planned to play right field exclusively, he only DH’d over the final five months of last season. That forced Jorge Soler, a poor defensive outfielder, to play right field, while Adell manned center field. The Angels now have more flexibility to move Adell back to right field or use him in left.