5 Teams Scouting Taylor Ward This Weekend

The Baltimore Orioles are still just outside of a Wild Card spot, 1.5 games back heading into Sunday's play. Would they possibly consider trading starting outfielder Taylor Ward? True, his power numbers are way, way down this season, with only seven homers and 30 RBIs after a 36-HR, 103-RBI season last year. But he is getting on base at a career-high .383 clip, and has 64 runs scored. 

Insider Ken Rosenthal tells us, in The Athletic, that with the trade market very thin on right-hand-hitting outfielders, Ward has been at or near the top of the shopping list for every team looking for such a rare target.

It’s noteworthy, then, that the Yankees, Rays, Rangers, Diamondbacks and a delegation of Phillies scouts and executives already in town to watch their team and plot deadline strategy are in Baltimore for the Orioles’ series against Philadelphia.

And in addition to those five teams scouting Ward, four of them pennant hopefuls, he names another three clubs that are interested as well, in the Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, and Cleveland Guardians. 

In the case of the Braves, whether their addition of outfielder Lane Thomas in another deal on Saturday night takes them out of the running for Ward remains to be seen.

"Everyone is awaiting word from the Orioles that they actually plan to trade" Ward, according to Rosenthal. 

Ward has shown a fair bit of power over the previous few seasons, but while that has dried up this year, his on-base skills have him on pace for a career-high in runs. 

He is a free agent after the 2026 campaign, so he'd be a pure rental for any team that is able to trade for him.