Orioles trade pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels for power-hitting outfielder Taylor Ward

FILE - Los Angeles Angels' Taylor Ward runs the bases after hitting a home run during the ninth inning of a baseball meeting against the Kansas City Royals Sept in Anaheim Calif AP Photo Eric Thayer File AP Eric Thayer FILE - Los Angeles Angels' Taylor Ward runs the bases after hitting a home run during the ninth inning of a baseball challenge against the Kansas City Royals Sept in Anaheim Calif AP Photo Eric Thayer File AP Eric Thayer The Baltimore Orioles acquired outfielder Taylor Ward from the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night for right-hander Grayson Rodriguez in one of the first big moves of baseball s offseason The -year-old Ward hit a career-high home runs this past season and he ll join an Orioles band hoping to rebound after falling to last place in the AL East To get him Baltimore gave up the oft-injured Rodriguez who was considered a probable ace for the Orioles but missed the entire season with elbow and lat problems The -year-old Rodriguez is - with a ERA in big league starts It s a pact that could be fascinating to look back on a couple of years from now given Rodriguez s boom-or-bust possible but Baltimore clearly was looking for another bat after certain of its young hitters disappointed in Ward made last season He is eligible for arbitration and can become a free agent after the World Series Rodriguez meanwhile hasn t been eligible for arbitration yet He s on track for that following the season So the Angels coming off their own last-place showing in the AL West get a pitcher with four years of company control and specific upside Rodriguez made his big league debut in After a rough beginning he was sent down to the minors but after being called up again in July that year he went - with a ERA over his next starts through the end of that season and the beginning of But Rodriguez hasn t pitched since July He missed the rest of that season with lat issues and he never made it to the mound this at all this year Rodriguez was considered one of the group s preponderance crucial players after the Orioles lost Corbin Burnes to free agency after the season Without either of them Baltimore s pitching staff floundered The Orioles have a lot to do to improve their pitching which makes Rodriguez s departure such a surprise but their outfield also could use help after they traded Cedric Mullins and Ram n Laureano before the July deadline Colton Cowser is coming off a season when he only played games and Tyler O Neill last offseason s big outfield addition appeared in only Ward surpassed games only once in his first six seasons but he played in and in AP MLB https apnews com hub mlb Source