Grayson Rodriguez Health Update: Angels GM Reveals Status of Blockbuster Trade Acquisition

Orioles right-hand pitcher Grayson Rodriguez signs an autograph for fan Charlie Brose, 11, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Baltimore Orioles held their first full-squad workout of spring training on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. | Mike Lang/Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Grayson Rodriguez's 2025 season was a series of fits and starts, one that resulted in the right-handed pitcher never taking the mound in a major- or minor-league game for the Baltimore Orioles.

More news: Perry Minasian's Contract Status Will Influence Angels' Offseason Plans

Perry Minasian is confident Rodriguez's 2026 season will be better.

OFFICIAL: The Angels have acquired RHP Grayson Rodriguez from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for OF Taylor Ward. pic.twitter.com/c0k3JdsSQr

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) November 19, 2025

The Angels' general manager, speaking to reporters Wednesday for the first time since he sent outfielder Taylor Ward to Baltimore in a blockbuster 1-for-1 trade with the Orioles, addressed Rodriguez's status for the 2026 season.

Specifically, Minasian said Rodriguez will start throwing bullpens in January and is expected to be ready for Spring Training.

Perry Minasian says Grayson Rodriguez will start throwing bullpens in January and is expected to be ready for Spring Training in 2026

— Taylor Blake Ward (@TaylorBlakeWard) November 19, 2025

As noted by Greg Beacham of the Associated Press, Minasian admitted there was some risk involved with acquiring a pitcher who missed the entire preceding season, but the Angels "examined Rodriguez's arm health and feel confident he'll be over his problems."

Angels GM Perry Minasian admits it's a risk to acquire Grayson Rodriguez, but they examined his arm health and feel confident he'll be over his problems. Rodriguez will be throwing bullpens in January.

— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) November 19, 2025

A former first-round draft pick (11th overall) by the Orioles in 2018, Rodriguez was a consensus Top-100 prospect by 2020, and a Top-10 prospect prior to both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

As a rookie in 2023, Rodriguez made 23 starts, going 7-4 with a 4.35 ERA. He posted a 1.336 WHIP and 129 strikeouts in 122 innings.

More news: Angels Were Interested in Top Starting Pitcher at Trade Deadline, Could Try This Offseason

Rodriguez followed that up with a strong sophomore season, going 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA (100 ERA+) in 20 starts (116.2 innings). He made just one postseason start for the Orioles and was lit up (1.2 innings, five earned runs) by the Texas Rangers in a 2023 AL Division Series.

But Rodriguez was diagnosed with right elbow inflammation to begin the 2025 season, and a lat strain in April further set him back. Although he was throwing full-intensity bullpens by July, Rodriguez was never cleared to begin a minor league rehab assignment.

Regarding Rodriguez, here’s what the O’s Mike Elias said about him recently, from @masnRoch pic.twitter.com/qaGl9tHEZX

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) November 19, 2025

The Orioles preached caution with Rodriguez before trading him to the Angels. According to Roch Kubatko of MASN, president of baseball operations Mike Elias said "there's nothing going on right now that would hold him back. He's not injured right now and he's preparing for spring training, but the poor guy's missed a year and two months basically, and we've got to be mindful of that, and I think he's a really nice wild card talent for us, and I'm really optimistic and bullish about it."

Minasian's comments Wednesday suggest the two teams evaluated Rodriguez's health similarly. Still, the Angels aren't necessarily counting on Rodriguez being the anchor of their starting rotation at the outset.

Perry Minasian this morning:

"Starting pitching is something that we'll always look for. We're not done looking for starting pitching this offseason. We're going to continue looking at that, whether it be free agency and trade, and continue to add to that group."

— Thomas Murray (@Thomas_L_Murray) November 19, 2025

"Starting pitching is something that we'll always look for," Minasian said, via Thomas Murray of the Sporting Tribune. "We're not done looking for starting pitching this offseason. We're going to continue looking at that, whether it be free agency and trade, and continue to add to that group."

More to come on this story.