Angels land Grayson Rodriguez in 2026 contract deal

Billy Heyen

•
Angels look like massive winners in Grayson Rodriguez trade for 2026 expiring contract image

TL;DR

  • The Los Angeles Angels acquired Grayson Rodriguez from the Baltimore Orioles.
  • Taylor Ward was sent to the Orioles, with his contract ending after 2026.
  • Rodriguez is under club control through 2029, despite recent elbow surgery.
  • Rodriguez, a former top prospect, offers controllable talent for the Angels.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim aren't often praised for their transactions.

However, this particular deal involving Grayson Rodriguez, finalized between Tuesday night and Wednesday, undeniably appears to be a significant success.

Taylor Ward was placed on the Baltimore Orioles by The Angels. Ward has been a productive home run hitter for The Angels, though his contract is set to end following the 2026 season.

Rodriguez will be under club control through the 2029 campaign.

The one risk with Rodriguez is that he's coming off a 2025 season in which he didn't pitch and just underwent some elbow cleanup procedures.

But as long as Rodriguez gets back onto the mound, this feels like a W for the Angels.

MORE: Kyle Tucker trade isn't aging well for Cubs

Rodriguez just turned 26 a few days ago. He has started 43 games at the MLB level and struck out more than a batter an inning.

Prior to both the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Rodriguez was widely considered a top-10 prospect in baseball.

His talent was also evident during his major league pitching appearances. The sole cause for concern stems from his injury history.

Should Rodriguez be healthy, he's capable of being a top starting pitcher. The Angels acquired him for a player they probably wouldn't have re-signed past 2026.

The Angels have a mixture of older and younger players that makes it hard to know exactly what kind of contention timeline they're on. But it's never a bad idea to acquire young, controllable talent that can help both now and in the future.

That's what Rodriguez is, and LAA did a great job to add him to their club.

More MLB news:

Contributing Writer