The first big trade of the MLB offseason sent Taylor Ward to the Baltimore Orioles. Ward has 30-home run power and is in the final year of his contract. The trade made sense, especially since the Angels receiver a promising young pitcher, Grayson Rodriguez, who is a little down on his injury luck.
Ward's exodus was a welcome development, but also brought with it a saddening reality. That could be – and arguably should be – Mike Trout. The Angels signed Trout to a 12-year, $426 million deal eons ago. It'd be tough to find a taker, but Perry Minasian isn't even trying, which makes Trout's fate all the more frustrating.
Taylor Ward is exciting about a new opportunity away from the Angels
Ward was interviewed about the trade which sent him to Baltimore on Thursday. Sure, the Orioles had a down year in 2025, finishing in last place in the AL East. But they still have a ton of young talent, and new ownership willing to spend the right kind of money – smart money. Ward acknowledges this, and is excited about his new role in the Orioles outfield.
“My goal is to win a World Series, and I think we have the group,” Ward told The Athletic. “They also have money to spend, and they’re gonna get key guys to fill holes. They’re gonna do the right thing. I fully expect us to be contending. Once we make the playoffs, I’m gonna be super excited.”
The 32-year-old had nothing but kind words for the Angels organization. He's a classy guy, after all. But when asked to grade this trade from his own point of view, Ward didn't hold back.
“As much as I wanted to stay with the guys in the clubhouse,” Ward said, “I think this is good for me.”
And there you have it. Escaping Anaheim is a dream these days, as the Angels haven't proven willing to spend, and when they do, it often backfires. The Angels fired manager Ron Washington after the season and hired the younger Kurt Suzuki. A rebuild isn't far off, especially after dealing Ward for young pitching.
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The Angels are holding on to Mike Trout, for better or worse
Ward realized, even if he was kind to the Angels in his parting remarks, that his best chance to win would come elsewhere. Whether that's in Baltimore or a free-agent destination to come, I do not know. But the Angels are getting younger fast, and holding on to Trout for ticket sales and little else. Minasian and Arte Moreno must know a postseason run isn't in their future. The Mariners and Astros own the AL West until further notice, and they finished the 2025 campaign 15 games back of the final AL Wild Card spot.
Failing to make the postseason is an all-too-familiar spot for Trout. He's played in the playoffs just once in his career, and it came in 2014. That didn't stop him from signing a (at the time) record-breaking contract which kept him in Anaheim for what very well could be the rest of his career.
It's Trout's deal that makes trading him so difficult. The three-time AL MVP hasn't made an All-Star appearance since 2023, and has played in just 159 games over the last two years, combining for just 2.6 bWAR. He's not the defensive force he once was, either, and has shown signs of decline at the plate, as one would expect of a player in his mid-30's.
To trade Trout, the Angels would have to take on some of his remaining contract, which they're unlikely to do since the future Hall of Famer still puts butts in seats. He's beloved in Anaheim, but he's also stuck there.
Trout should've thought about that before committing long term, much like Ward did.