The Baltimore Orioles entered the offseason needing major help in both the starting rotation and the bullpen. So naturally, their first significant move was… trading for Angels outfielder Confusing, right?
Grayson Rodriguez showed some warning signs, but adding a true ace to support him seemed like the obvious move. Instead, Mike Elias worsened the rotation problem by trading away a talented pre-arbitration pitcher.
That decision alone is puzzling, but his roster fit raises even more questions. The Orioles already had multiple outfield options, and this move only adds to the congestion.
To be fair, Taylor Ward is a solid player. His career-best 36 homers came with a steep drop in batting average (.228) in 2025, but overall he brings good power, decent contact skills—despite high strikeout totals—and strong on-base ability.
In a vacuum, he’s a valuable player. Within Baltimore’s roster structure, however, the fit feels forced.
Ward now joins an outfield that already includes Dylan Beavers and Colton Cowser. Tyler O’Neill opting into the final two years of his deal gives the team another player who, at his best, offers a similar profile to Ward.
Cowser struggled in 2025, but at 25 years old and just one season removed from a promising 24-homer breakout, he still has big upside. Beavers flashed elite plate discipline and posted a 125 wRC+ in his first 35 big league games—an extremely encouraging start.
Beyond them, the Orioles recently took a reasonable gamble on 27-year-old Leody Taveras, an interesting bounce-back candidate for a bench role.
Most importantly, top prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr. was on the verge of reaching the majors with his elite speed, but Ward now blocks his path—despite likely being no more than a one-year rental. The same goes for Vance Honeycutt, though he’s further away.
Unless another move follows to clear the logjam, this trade doesn’t add up. And even if Baltimore tries to deal from their surplus, O’Neill has virtually no trade value, meaning a move would probably cost them Beavers or Cowser—young players with too much potential and too much team control to justify replacing them with Ward.
Maybe there’s a bigger plan at play, but as a first offseason move, Mike Elias has given Orioles fans plenty of reason to worry.