Mike Elias reveals the driving factor behind the Taylor Ward trade

Mike Elias revealed what drove the Orioles’ decision to trade for Taylor Ward.

Jul 27, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias stands on the field before the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The first major shakeup of the offseason came a few days ago, when the Baltimore Orioles shockingly traded starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Taylor Ward.

The decision left many fans and analysts alike wondering why the Orioles, a team in need of starting pitching, would trade away an arm with years of control for an outfielder in Ward, who has just one year remaining.

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias spoke with reporters on Friday, shedding some light on their decision-making process.

Orioles' Mike Elias onTaylor Ward-Grayson Rodriguez trade: "This is one that I felt and a lot of us felt and we felt was going to benefit the organization."

Elias noted how the market doesn't have a lot of RHH power bats, especially in outfield. Had targeted Ward for a while.

— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) November 21, 2025

Why did the Orioles trade for Taylor Ward?

Elias noted that several factors went into the decision to part with Grayson Rodriguez (a former prized talent of the Orioles who is coming off debridement surgery in August to remove bone spurs from his right elbow) in exchange for Ward.

Perhaps the biggest factor Elias revealed was that Ward has been a long-term target for the Orioles.

"He’s actually somebody that we’ve been chasing for at least for a couple years, just because of the profile, the big right-handed power. … He’s great against left-handed pitching, but we also think he’s good against right-handed pitching and he’s an everyday guy," Elias said.

Elias also noted that Ward’s consistency, playing over 150 games in left field for two straight seasons, along with his overall performance, would bring much-needed “stability” to the Orioles’ outfield.

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Taylor Ward (acquired by BAL) is an overly patient batter with a knack for barreling the ball. He knocked 36 HR in 2025 and posted a solid 117 wRC+ while manning LF

He is a free agent after 2026 pic.twitter.com/1dxu5zNob3

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) November 19, 2025

The biggest controversy in this trade was giving up a starter like Rodriguez, who has four more years of team control and was once a top prospect, for Ward, an older player entering his age-32 season and his final year under contract.

However, Elias sees things differently when it comes to the trade.

“Look, I think we’re certainly aware of the mismatch in the amount of potential team control remaining on these two guys,” Elias said. “Ward is going into his free agent year. He also has the potentiality to generate a qualifying offer. I think if he does what he did in 2025, that’s a real possibility, so that could change that equation a little bit.”

Read More: Insider predicts next Baltimore Orioles trade

Ward has really come into his own over the past two years, highlighted by a 2025 season in which he blasted 36 home runs and drove in 103 runs. Elias and the Orioles’ front office believe there is still untapped potential, and that he could be a fixture in Baltimore for more than just the one year.

Another factor in all of this was Elias’ belief that the Orioles needed a power right-handed bat, something he felt was in short supply on the open market.

"We’ve got a lot of young left-handed hitters and if we have him and O’Neill and Mounty and Mayo and a lot of these guys staggered in there, it’s gonna make life a little bit easier on the left-handed hitters, too. So we think he’s an impact bat. He really fit us, and there weren’t a lot of big power right-handed guys on the market this year," Elias said.

Elias acknowledged that while the Orioles may continue to look for more impact bats, pitching remains the team’s top priority moving forward. He emphasized that the front office will continue to evaluate the market and make moves that strengthen both the lineup and the pitching staff.