With injury setbacks, the Atlanta Braves urgently need an outfield boost. To address this, the franchise could target Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward, as suggested by Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter on June 27.
Reuter’s proposal involves trading Ward to Atlanta for the Braves’ No. 4 prospect, JR Ritchie, and right-handed pitcher Allan Winans.
With Ronald Acuna Jr. sidelined for the season and Michael Harris II expected to miss significant time due to a hamstring strain, the Braves’ outfield situation is critical. Ward would provide much-needed stability, boasting a 116 OPS+ and 14 home runs in 76 games this year.
At 30, Ward has completed just one full major league season, playing 135 games for the Angels in 2022 and hitting .281 with 23 home runs. Last year, his season was disrupted by a hit-by-pitch incident that caused facial fractures, limiting him to 97 games.
The Angels Don’t Have to Trade Taylor Ward
Ward is likely to attract interest at the trade deadline with the Angels out of contention and in need of a rebuild. However, Reuter notes that LA is not obligated to trade him unless they receive a desirable return.
“With club control through the 2026 season, the Angels don’t need to trade him unless they get the return they are seeking, but selling high now makes sense for a team that needs a wide-scale rebuild,” Reuter wrote.
Ward’s salary is a manageable $4.8 million this year, and he has two more arbitration seasons remaining. He might not be a long-term piece for the Angels, so selling high now could be prudent.
The Braves Would Have to Part with JR Ritchie
To secure Ward, the Braves would need to offer significant assets. Reuter suggests trading Ritchie, the No. 35 overall pick in 2022.
Reuter describes Ritchie as having “four plus pitches, good command and remaining projection in his 6’2″, 185-pound frame.” He recently returned from Tommy John surgery, which could be seen positively or negatively.
Ritchie has pitched only 2 innings in 2024 and 15.1 total in the past two years. He needs to prove his health, but having had Tommy John surgery at 21, he could recover well. Ritchie can hit the upper 90s with his fastball, projecting as a future Major League starter.
Winans could immediately join the Angels’ pitching staff if needed. He has 37.1 innings of Major League experience but has struggled, allowing 25 earned runs and 10.8 hits per 9 innings.
