Following his trade to Baltimore, Taylor Ward says the Orioles have the pieces to push deep into October in 2026.
For the first time since being traded last week, Taylor Ward spoke to the media as a member of the Baltimore Orioles.
On a Zoom call Monday, Ward said he had no idea the Orioles had interest in him, despite hearing his name in trade rumors for years. While he admitted the news blindsided him, he expressed optimism about what he could accomplish with his new teammates in 2026.
“I just think that the whole group is a solid group, a lot of young players,” Ward said. “Just excited to step in and help produce in that lineup. As always, guys got to stay healthy. I think that’s just the biggest thing. But this team’s definitely capable of making a deep playoff run, and I’m excited to join that.”
Ward, who turns 32 next month, has appeared in eight big league seasons with the Los Angeles Angels but has yet to play postseason baseball. The Orioles, meanwhile, won their division in 2023 and earned the top wild card spot in 2024 before finishing with a disappointing 75-87 record this past season.
When Baltimore traded away 26-year-old starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to land Ward, it signaled the start of an aggressive offseason aimed at sparking a quick turnaround. The right-handed power bat will be leaned on to help jump-start a youthful offense that finished 24th in runs scored in 2025.
Ward has been a force in the Angels’ lineup over the past four seasons, batting .251 with 98 home runs, a .783 OPS, and 10.9 fWAR during that span. In 2025, he set career bests in doubles (31), home runs (36), and RBIs (103) with a .792 OPS over 157 games. But he also batted just .228 with a career-high 175 strikeouts — two areas the veteran aims to
“I think there’s a lot more in the tank, especially with average and cutting down on strikeouts and things like that,” Ward said. “That’s what I’m going to be focused on this offseason and just continuing to dial in the mechanics side of things and the consistency side of things with that, and also swinging at good pitches.”
Ward is entering his final year of salary arbitration and is set to become a free agent after next season. While a strong campaign in 2026 could position him for a nice payday on the open market, the veteran said he is more focused on keeping things simple and helping his new team win games with his glove and bat.
Baltimore’s outfield mix now consists of Ward, Colton Cowser, Dylan Beavers, Tyler O’Neill, Heston Kjerstad, and Leody Taveras. Ward said he has not had any discussions about where he will play defensively but is willing to do whatever the team asks. He has experience at all three outfield spots, both corner infield positions, and even some time behind the plate.
More than likely, the Orioles will deploy Ward primarily in left field, where he has played the last three seasons. He was credited with -3 defensive runs saved in 2025 and ranked in the 54th percentile for range, according to Statcast.
