“I had a great time in Anaheim, playing in Anaheim, getting to know the guys and playing alongside Hall of Fame players. I’m just really grateful for that period, and it’s something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
General manager Perry Minasian said after the trade that he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add four years of a viable rotational arm in exchange for one year of Ward, even though there is a serious injury risk with Rodriguez, who hasn’t pitched since July 2024. Via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County RegisterMinasian called Rodriguez “a worthwhile gamble,” noting that when healthy, the former first-round pick and top prospect “can beat anyone on any given night.”
For the 2026 season, Rodriguez will certainly be on some form of innings limit. Between that and the general uncertainty behind it Yusei Kikuchi And Jose Soriano in the rotation, the Angels remain in the market for further pitching upgrades. They are also known to be looking for help at third base and center field. Whatever additions are made (or not made) in the outfield will impact the chances of the return Ward is referring to. Jorge Soler will be a free agent next season. I Adel is under club control until 2027.
The free agent market is tight in terms of midfielders, but Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports this that the Angels have at least checked in on the available top name: Cody Bellinger. Considering the Halos’ need at center, it’s only natural that they would do some due diligence. (It would almost be more remarkable to hear that they were not I plan to at least gauge Bellinger’s price.) Heyman notes that a matchup between the two sides is considered a gamble, which shouldn’t be a huge surprise. Bellinger expects to finally command a nine-figure deal in free agency, likely for five or even six years.
While the Angels have the payroll capacity to make those kinds of additions – Mike Trout is the only player guaranteed anything beyond the 2027 season. It is an open question whether Bellinger can really be considered an everyday midfielder. He hasn’t played the position on a full-time basis since 2022 and played just 306 innings there with the Yankees in 2025.
Bellinger’s sprint speed hasn’t really dropped since that time, but Bellinger has still posted negative Defensive Runs Saved (-4) and Statcast (-1 OAA) numbers in just over 700 innings of center field work over the past two seasons. He’d certainly be better there than Adell was when he was forced into the position in ’25 (-13 DRS, -8 OAA), but Bellinger will draw significant interest from better-matched contenders – the Yankees certainly among them. After playing for teams with clear postseason aspirations throughout his career, he may also be skeptical about a move to an Angels club that is a long shot to contend.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
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