Mariners trade Orioles for outfielder Taylor Ward

The Seattle Mariners have added a needed right-handed bat ahead of Monday’s MLB trade deadline, making a deal with the Baltimore Orioles for outfielder Taylor Ward.

MLB Trade Deadline: The moves of note around the league

In return, the Mariners are sending a trio of right-handed pitchers to Baltimore: reliever Alex Hoppe and minor leaguers Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling.

The M’s confirmed the trade late Monday morning, less than two hours after it was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The MLB trade deadline is 3 p.m. Monday.

“We are excited to add Taylor to our lineup,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said in a press release. “He has proven to be a consistent performer that is among the very best in the league at getting on base. We are thrilled to be adding a player of his caliber to our team.”

Ward’s on board 🚢

We have acquired OF Taylor Ward from the Orioles in exchange for RHP Alex Hoppe and minor league RHPs Brock Moore & Harrison Kreiling. #TridentsUp

🔗 https://t.co/j0lYYzz7A9 pic.twitter.com/oyozWRMBRy

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 3, 2026

The 6-foot, 205-pound Ward is slashing .246/.383/.346 for a .730 OPS with 2.4 bWAR in 111 games this season, his first with Baltimore. He is making over $3.5 million this season and is set to be a free agent this fall.

Ward leads the American League with 87 walks and is sixth in the AL with his .383 on-base percentage. His power has been down this season, with just seven home runs and 20 doubles, but the 32 year old hit a career-high 36 homers with 103 RBIs in 157 games last year with the Los Angeles Angels.

Ward’s lack of power this season coincides with him playing his home games at Baltimore’s Camden Yards, which is particularly spacious in left field. Just one of his seven homers with the Orioles came at home.

A first-round MLB Draft pick in 2016 by the Angels out of Fresno State, Ward had a slow start in the big leagues. He broke out in 2022, though, when he hit .281 with an .833 OPS and a 3.5 bWAR, all career-high marks. He also had 23 home runs that year.

Initially a catcher in the minors, Ward has played all outfield positions plus third base and first base in the big leagues. He last appeared in the infield in 2023, and has split his time between left field (90 games) and designated hitter (21 games) this year.

Ward gives the Mariners a threat against left-handed pitching, something they have struggled mightily against this year. He is slashing .269/.413/.426 for an .839 OPS against lefties this season, with four of his seven homers coming off of southpaws despite him seeing nearly three times as many plate appearances against righties.

Last year, Ward had a .918 OPS against lefties as opposed to a .765 OPS against righties.

Seattle is 29th out of the 30 MLB teams in batting average (.231), batting average against left-handed pitching (.220), and OPS against lefties (.649) in 2026.

The addition of Ward gives the Mariners three of the top six righty-hitting outfielders in the AL this season by OPS, along with Randy Arozarena (third, .834) and Julio Rodríguez (fifth, .731).

Ward joins an outfield mix in Seattle that also includes righty Victor Robles and lefty sluggers Dominic Canzone and Luke Raley. The right-handed Stuart Fairchild is currently in Raley’s spot on the roster with Raley recently having landed on the 10-day injured list with an elbow issue.

The 27-year-old Hoppe, a rookie, has spent time with both the Mariners and Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers this season. He has a 5.79 ERA in 24 appearances for Seattle, with 34 strikeouts to 11 walks and a 1.36 WHIP.

Moore, 26, is a University of Oregon product who the Mariners drafted in the seventh round in 2024. He was promoted in June from the High-A Everett AquaSox to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers, and has a combined 3.72 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 31 relief appearances in 2026.

Kreiling was a 17th-round pick by Seattle out of Nebraska-Omaha in 2024. The 24 year old made his pro debut last month in three games with the Mariners’ Arizona Complex League affiliate, and recently pitched two scoreless innings in his lone game for the Single-A Inland Empire 66ers.

The Mariners, who are off Monday, are 55-58 this year but are just two games out of the American League’s final wild card spot and three games back of the AL West-leading Houston Astros (58-55). This is the second reported trade in a matter of days for Seattle as it tries to turn its season around. They previously sent starting pitcher Luis Castillo to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night for three players, including veteran reliever Seranthony Domínguez.

The Orioles (54-58) appear to be selling at the deadline despite being just a half-game behind the M’s in the wild card chase. Baltimore has a tougher division to contend with, though, as it is 11 1/2 games back in the AL East.

Seattle Mariners trade deadline coverage

• A closer look at Mariners’ haul from Luis Castillo trade
• ‘He was loved here’: M’s pitchers reflect on Luis Castillo’s impact
• Mariners trade Luis Castillo to White Sox for 3-player haul

Related

MLB Trade Deadline: The moves of note around the leagueA closer look at Mariners’ haul from Luis Castillo trade‘He was loved here’: M’s pitchers reflect on Luis Castillo’s impactRecap: Mariners beat Twins 7-6 for series winColt Emerson’s first career walkoff lifts Mariners over TwinsMLB Trade Deadline: Dodgers land Tarik Skubal, Rays get Freddy Peralta