The Baltimore Orioles made the first big splash of the 2025-26 offseason by acquiring outfielder Taylor Ward from the Los Angeles Angels. The O's paid a stiff price, trading injury-prone starter Grayson Rodriguez — and his four years of team control — to LA in exchange for Ward, but at least now Baltimore has quite the thumper in the middle of their batting order.
The trade for Ward, however, feels a lot like a mulligan following last year's horrific failure in free agency. Orioles fans still aren't over Mike Elias' haphazard decision to hand over a three-year, $49.