Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward is emerging as a notable trade chip ahead of Monday’s deadline. Ken Rosenthal and Jayson Stark of The Athletic report that the Yankees, Phillies, Rangers and Guardians are showing interest in him.
Like many teams, the Orioles are in a tricky spot where they are not clear buyers or sellers. They are 53-56 and 2.5 games back of a playoff spot at the moment. President of baseball operations Mike Elias acknowledged that reality in comments with the media today. “We put ourselves in a position where we’re not declaring ourselves to be in one bucket or another in terms of buying or selling,” he said, per Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun, adding that “We can’t sink all of our chips into 2026.”
Given that framing, Ward should be attainable. Even if the Orioles aren’t fully going into seller mode, he is an impending free agent and could be moved as part of that buy/sell hybrid strategy. If Ward were sent out, the O’s could then give more playing time to guys like Tyler O’Neill, Heston Kjerstad, Reed Trimble or Enrique Bradfield. Perhaps someone in that group could step up and replace Ward’s production, while the trade return could theoretically bolster another part of the roster.
Ward is having a strange season, but still a solid one. He hit 36 home runs last year but only has seven this year. He has made up for that lack of power with huge improvements in his approach. He had an 11.3% walk rate and 26.4% strikeout rate last year but he’s walking at a 16.9% pace this year while only getting punched out 20.4% of the time. His .248/.383/.350 line translates to a 118 wRC+, right in line with last year’s 117 wRC+. In short, he’s been just as productive but he’s getting there in a different way. Ward is making $12.175MM this year, which will leave about $3.6MM left to be paid out after the deadline.
This year’s trade market has a number of lefty outfielders available but is notably lighter on impact righties. Ward would arguably be the best righty-swinging everyday outfielder available. Lane Thomas is out there but he’s more of a platoon guy who does most of his damage against lefties. Jo Adell and Heliot Ramos similarly are best against southpaws. Luis Robert Jr. is available but hasn’t been an effective big leaguer since 2023. He’s also making a $20MM salary and has a $2MM buyout on his 2027 club option. George Springer has a long track record but is mostly a designated hitter now and is barely above league average at the plate this year. He also has full no-trade protection as a 10-and-5 guy.
Those market conditions could work out well for the Orioles, as that limited supply is butting up against big demand. As MLBTR covered earlier this week, several teams are looking for outfielders who swing from the right side.
The Yankees currently have Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger all on the injured list, leaving their lineup and outfield group short-handed, though intra-division trades can always get complicated. The Phillies lost Adolis García to shoulder surgery and Justin Crawford has also been a disappointment in his rookie season. The Guardians have been trying to get more production from their outfield for years and that search continues. Their outfielders have a combined .234/.304/.357 line on the year.
The Rangers are looking for a righty bat to platoon with center fielder Evan Carter. Ward wouldn’t be a candidate to cover center but perhaps Wyatt Langford could slide over when a lefty is on the mound, with Ward covering left field. That’s a role Ward is a bit overqualified for, however. As mentioned, there are a few platoon guys available who should be cheaper.
Photo courtesy of Jim Rassol, Imagn Images
