Orioles have 75% chance to trade .731 OPS outfielder per ESPN

The Baltimore Orioles tried to get back into contention this past offseason with some big moves, and for the most part, it hasn't made much of a difference. They're 12 games back in the AL East, and 3.5 back in the AL Wild Card.

They're not out of the race just yet, but if the rest of July doesn't go well, this team will be selling by the August 3 trade deadline. But, for now, the Orioles can't be determined as sellers or not.

However, ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel believe otherwise, giving the Orioles a 75% chance to trade away a .731 OPS outfielder this summer. Taylor Ward, their offseason trade pickup, might be on the move for the second time in the last year.

Orioles given 75% chance to trade Taylor Ward by ESPN

"24. Taylor Ward, OF, Baltimore Orioles. Chance of being traded: 75%," Passan and McDaniel write. "Plenty of teams could use an outfielder, and though Ward won't win a Gold Glove anytime soon, his on-base percentage fits in almost every lineup."

There is bound to be plenty of interest in Ward at this year's trade deadline, but the Orioles might not even be deadline sellers.

Just 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, this Orioles team could easily go on a run this month and act as deadline buyers, in which Ward would not be on the move.

And yet, this ESPN duo believes Ward has a 75% chance to be traded. That's a very high percentage, and is one of the highest marks they gave out among the top-25 trade candidates this summer.

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Ward is going to hit free agency after the 2026 season, so if the Orioles are going to sell, Ward has to be dealt. He has a .731 OPS this season and a 109 OPS+. Some teams would likely love to add him to their outfield.

His power has disappeared, with his .353 slugging percentage well below his .475 slugging percentage from the 2025 season. But, he's walked 67 times and has a .378 on-base percentage. Those are good enough numbers to get teams interested.

The Ward trade market, and whether the Orioles trade him or not, will be very interesting to follow along with this summer. ESPN gave him a 75% chance to be traded, which is an unexpectedly high number for an Orioles team 3.5 games out of the postseason.

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