ANAHEIM — When Grayson Rodriguez initially found out he was being traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Los Angeles Angels, it was not through a front office meeting or a phone call at home, but rather during a trip that was supposed to continue his rehab work for the following season.
Rodriguez noted that after spending time at home, the plan was for him to return to the Orioles’ Spring Training Complex in Sarasota, Florida, to work with physical therapists, with most of his rehab already completed.
As Rodriguez’s flight landed around 11 p.m., he saw that he had received a text message from Orioles general manager Mike Elias asking to talk over the phone.
That alone raised alarms.
“I don’t know if the GM is calling at 10:30 at night just to chat,” Rodriguez said, admitting he immediately felt something significant had happened.
It was then that Elias informed him he had been traded to the Los Angeles Angels. Rodriguez noted that he and his wife, who was with him when the news broke, were both left in shock. As the reality set in, Rodriguez said he experienced an array of emotions following the news.
Shortly after, Rodriguez received a call from Angels general manager Perry Minasian, noting that the excitement and energy the Angels showed toward him helped flip a moment of shock into anticipation and optimism for the young right-hander.
Rodriguez, a former top prospect, was widely considered a focal point of an Orioles roster that appeared ready to make noise in the American League East, especially given the array of talent already in Baltimore before he made his Major League debut.
Players such as Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, along with others who were called up around the same time as Rodriguez, including Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg, and more recent additions like Jackson Holliday, highlighted the organization’s young core.
It was expected that Rodriguez would lead the charge on the pitching front, but that vision never fully came to fruition during his time in Baltimore. Underperformance and, more recently, injuries prevented him from making a consistent impact on a roster that was attempting to turn the page into a new era of Orioles baseball.
Ultimately, after the call with Minasian, beyond the excitement, the trade carried a bittersweet ending to Rodriguez’s time in Baltimore. He reflected on the relationships he built within the organization, having come up through the system alongside Rutschman, Henderson, and Westburg. Those bonds, formed since his teenage years, made the transition emotional.
Still, Rodriguez views the trade as a chance to reset. Injuries plagued the right-hander during a season in which he was unable to pitch, and this new chapter presents an opportunity for a fresh start and a chance to regain his form on a clean slate.
For Rodriguez, the change is not about what was left behind; it is about turning the page, starting a new chapter, and getting back on the mound with renewed purpose in Anaheim.