Potential Pirates Trade Targets: Pair of Powerful Angels Outfielders
The Pittsburgh Pirates could turn to the Los Angeles Angels as they seek outfield upgrades this offseason.
The Pirates need more production from their lineup heading into 2025 after finishing last in baseball in runs scored, OPS and home runs. With Oneil Cruz in center field and Bryan Reynolds in right, the Pirates will look to add a corner outfielder capable of manning left.
There are two outfielders for the Angels who could be of interest to the Pirates in Taylor Ward and Jo Adell.
Ward totaled a career-high 157 games this past season and slashed .228/.317/.475. He also set career-highs in doubles (31) home runs (36) and RBI (103). An eight-year veteran, the 31-year-old Ward carries a career .247/.327/.439 batting line with 124 doubles, 113 home runs, 345 RBI and a 111 OPS+ across 704 games.
Adell, meanwhile, is a former top prospect who had a breakout season with the Halos in 2025. The 26-year-old played in 152 games and hit .236 with a .778 OPS, 18 doubles and finished ninth in baseball with 37 home runs and tied for eighth in the American League with 98 RBI.
In his first five seasons with the Angels from 2020-24, Adell hit just .211 with a .649 OPS and 38 home runs across 308 games.
Both players struck out in 26.4% of their plate appearances this year, but there’s no denying the kind of thump either would add to the middle of the Pirates’ lineup.
Ward is a natural fit given that he played 153 games in left field and has spent the bulk of his career there, but he took a substantial step back defensively from what he showed in 2024. The Pirates had been linked to Ward at the 2024 trade deadline and at times last offseason.
Adell, meanwhile, played mostly in center field in 2025 but has experience at both corners, where he fares better.
Ward is projected to make a hefty $13.7 million in his final year of arbitration before hitting free agency. That price could prove too costly for the Pirates unless they plan on getting Mitch Keller’s salary off the books. Adell is expected to make a more reasonable $5.5 million and will be arbitration-eligible again next offseason before reaching free agency.
The return in either trade likely would not include anything major, but Angels owner Arte Moreno is notorious for avoiding rebuilds while trying to compete for the postseason annually despite having flawed rosters. Maybe an exchange of big-leaguers makes the most sense because of that, but the Pirates are also rich in young pitchers at or near the MLB level.
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