ESPN delivers Orioles disappointing grade in Taylor Ward MLB trade deadline deal

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ESPN delivers Orioles disappointing grade in Taylor Ward MLB trade deadline deal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

As the Seattle Mariners snared outfielder Taylor Ward before Monday's MLB trade deadline, David Schoenfield provided the NL West contenders with a satisfactory B grade. The ESPN scribe was not nearly as impressed with the Orioles' return package, delivering a D+ verdict.

With the addition of the right-handed hitting Ward, the Mariners appeared to solve a lineup void that has existed since the spring.

Were the Mariners too patient?

For most of the first half, the Mariners' offense struggled to produce against left-handed hitters, ranking last or in the bottom two in team batting average versus lefties.

Idle Monday, the Mariners (55-58), who next host the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, were three games behind the AL West-leading Houston Astros. They were two games behind in the AL Wild Card race.

Ward should provide an immediate lift to the Mariners' lineup, which ranked No. 28 in runs scored (454). The nine-year veteran connected on a career-best 36 homers for the Los Angeles Angels last season. While he arrived with just seven homers in '26, his .383 OBP eclipsed all of his new teammates.

Ward had a .413 OBP and .839 OPS versus southpaws, slamming seven homers and driving in 30 RBI.

Perhaps the grade would have been higher, but Taylor's addition could soften an already weak outfield defense.

MORE; MLB trade deadline tracker: Live rumors, news, updates before 2026 deadline​

While it appears the Orioles negotiated a haul for catcher Adley Rutschman, the team's earlier deal didn't land with ESPN.

For Taylor, a pending free agent who has clubbed 120 career homers in 815 games, the Orioles received three right-handed pitching prospects, Alex Hoppe, Harrison Kreiling and Brock Moore.

Hoppe, 27, had yet to establish himself as a top-tier prospect, posting a career 5.79 ERA in his opening 24 big league appearances. Moore was assigned to Double-A Chesapeake, but has the potential to hit triple-digits on his four-seam fastball. Kreiling, a former 17th-round draft pick, continues recovering from Tommy John surgery.

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