Overview
- The trade was completed on Monday when Seattle sent pitchers Alex Hoppe, Harrison Kreiling and Brock Moore to Baltimore for 32-year-old outfielder Taylor Ward.
- Ward is owed the remainder of a one-year, $12.18 million contract and will be a rental who reaches free agency after the 2026 season.
- This season Ward’s power dropped to seven home runs but he led the American League in walks and produced a high on-base rate that kept his overall offensive value intact.
- Seattle made the move to fill an immediate hole created by Luke Raley’s stint on the injured list and to add a right-handed middle-of-order bat while the club chases a wild-card spot.
- Baltimore received a three-player, low-level pitching package that MLB Pipeline does not list among Seattle’s top-30 prospects, signaling a seller move that prioritizes depth over premium prospect return.