Yesterday we discussed the recent report that the Phillies could be fits for the Angels’ Jo Adell and Taylor Ward. We started with breaking down Adell’s profile and the possibility he could be the Phillies target.
Today, we’ll look at the other right-handed hitting corner outfielder in Anaheim.
If it feels like Taylor Ward’s name has been floated around trade circles for a while, it’s because it’s true. Ward has been mentioned as a trade candidate in each of the last two trade deadlines, yet he has stayed put in Anaheim. But 2026 is the final year of Ward’s team control, so it feels much more likely that he will finally be moved either this winter or at the trade deadline in July.
Ward will turn 32 in December and is a career .247/.327/.439 hitter across eight Major League seasons. Like Adell, Ward was also a first round pick of the Angels, going 26th overall in the 2015 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2018, playing in 40 games as a 24-year-old rookie. Ward then spent much of the next three seasons shuffling back and forth from the Majors and the minor leagues, as he struggled to gain a foothold with the Angels despite hitting .250 with a .737 OPS across 119 MLB games.
2022 was a breakout season for Ward, as he finally received regular playing time and took full advantage of it. Ward slashed .281/.360/.473 with 23 home runs in 135 games while accumulating 3.7 fWAR. His 2023 season was cut short after being hit by a pitch in the face and suffering multiple injuries on July 28th. Ward had to have three plates inserted into his face and nose reconstruction surgery following the incident but entered 2024 fully healthy.
Ward’s 2025 season saw him slug a career-high 36 home runs and post a career-best .475 slugging percentage while his .792 OPS was the best since his breakout 2022. However, his .228 batting average and .317 on base percentage were both the worst of Ward’s career since becoming a full-time starter. Nevertheless, Ward logged his best walk rate (11.3%) in six years despite his strikeout rate increasing for the second straight season to finish at 26.4%. Despite that strikeout rate, Ward is still among the league best in chase rate, as his 21.3% outside the zone swing rate ranked 20th among all qualified MLB hitters in 2025.
Since becoming a regular in 2022, Ward’s slashed .251/.332/.451 with a 117 OPS+ and 119 wRC+. That is an above average regular outfielder who hits right-handed, something the Phillies have needed for many years. Ward isn’t a particularly strong defender, as he’s been worth -14 defensive runs saved and 0 OAA in the outfield for his career. He was below average in the field in 2025 with -3 DRS and a -2 fielding run value.
Think of Ward as a more polished, safer bet than Adell but with a lower ceiling. He would give the Phillies a steady, middle of the order right-handed bat with some pop. Plus, Ward has been a better defender in the outfield than Adell over the last few seasons despite the latter’s more athletic tools. Ward will be a free agent after 2026, so his cost in a trade will be its lowest since he was put on the trade block. But he will be 32 years old, almost six full years older than Adell. Ward could be a nice solution in 2026, but the Phillies would be right back in a similar situation next offseason when he is a free agent.
So, should the Phillies target Taylor Ward in a trade? Or would you rather they focus on Adell? What would you be comfortable surrendering in exchange for Ward?
