Where Orioles could go for pitching after Taylor Ward trade

The Baltimore Orioles need more pitching after trading Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels, but where will they look for it?

Jul 31, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Grayson Rodriguez (30) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles made a huge splash on the trade market on Tuesday, swinging a big deal with the Los Angeles Angels to acquire outfielder Taylor Ward in exchange for right-handed pitcher Grayson Rodriguez. The deal added an intriguing player to the outfield at the cost of Rodriguez, who was once viewed as a future ace for Baltimore before injuries ravaged his career.

The Orioles have acquired OF Taylor Ward from the Angels for RHP Grayson Rodriguez. pic.twitter.com/hFsRlhI2W5

— MLB (@MLB) November 19, 2025

While Rodriguez had four years of team control left compared to just one for Ward, who will be a free agent after next season, it is fair to wonder whether the Orioles felt Rodriguez was too injury prone to depend on. The move does, however, open a big hole in Baltimore's rotation that they still need to fill.

Taylor Ward is a free agent after the 2026 season. Baltimore, which has been looking for pitching, gave up a 26-year-old in Grayson Rodriguez who isn't a free agent until after 2029. He also missed all of the 2025 season with arm issues and is coming off an elbow cleanup.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 19, 2025

As of now, the Orioles' projected rotation stands to be Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells and Cade Povich. While the top two have significant potential, availability has been an issue for them as Rogers made only 18 starts a year ago and Bradish may be slowplayed in 2026 in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery.

Read More: Why Orioles trading Grayson Rodriguez for Taylor Ward was a stunner

Where the Orioles could look for starting pitching

The smart play for Mike Elias would be to find an established starter to place atop his rotation, sliding Rogers, Bradish and Kremer down one notch while setting up a competition between Wells and Povich for the No. 5 role. There are plenty of good options available in free agency, but it remains to be seen whether owner David Rubenstein is ready to open his checkbook for a big splash.

Where might Framber Valdez land? Here are his best fits https://t.co/0gTpSneMzO

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) November 18, 2025

The top free agent pitcher on the board is former Astros lefty Framber Valdez, who rejected a qualifying offer from Houston on Tuesday. Valdez has ties to Elias, who was in the Astros' organization when the team signed him as an international free agent in 2015, and adding his dependable innings to the top of the board would make a ton of sense for Baltimore's rotation.

The top pitchers on the market, such as Valdez and former Padre Dylan Cease, will likely secure at least $150 million contracts over the long haul. Rubenstein recently indicated that he is willing to spend big money to get help for his talented core, which would make the Orioles major players for Valdez, but fans have a right to remain skeptical of his intention to put his money where his mouth is after last year's top free agent addition was a three-year commitment for Tyler O'Neill worth $50 million.

Another route the Orioles could explore for rotation help is the trade market, where their strong farm system and intriguing young position player group could help them find value for the top of their rotation. Baltimore pursued the rental route a few years ago with Corbin Burnes, a move that helped them reach the postseason in 2024, and could do so again as the trade market has a lot of good names potentially available.

Seeing Tarik Skubal in Baltimore would be a huge surprise since the Tigers are reportedly commanding a massive haul in trade negotiations, but deals for Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta, Miami's Sandy Alcantara or Minnesota's Joe Ryan could fill that need. Peralta is a rental option while Alcantara and Ryan have team control through the 2027 campaign.

The smoke signals coming from Baltimore do indicate that they are planning to be aggressive to address their needs, which makes sense since they have a tough road to navigate in a brutal American League East that saw three teams reach the postseason in 2025 and has produced the last two AL pennant winners. There are a lot of options available for the Orioles to add a needed ace to their rotation, but how they do so depends on how much ownership is willing to spend in free agency.