The Seattle Mariners' quest to find a right-handed-hitting outfielder brought them to Taylor Ward, who was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.
In exchange, the Mariners will send right-handed reliever Alex Hoppe and minor league pitchers Harrison Kreiling and Brock Moore to Baltimore.
Ward, a free agent at season's end, fills the Mariners' need for production against left-handed pitching. The Mariners began the week with a .650 OPS against lefties, second lowest in the major leagues.
"We are excited to add Taylor to our lineup," general manager Justin Hollander said. "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."
Ward, 32, has hit only seven home runs this season, a far cry from the 61 he totaled while with the Los Angeles Angels from 2024 to 2025. But he has drawn 87 walks, the most in the American League and second in the majors behind James Wood (90), and is getting on base at a .383 clip. Against lefties, his OPS is .839.
Ward's 14.3% chase rate is the lowest by any major league player this season. The Mariners, meanwhile, have a 32% chase rate as a team, which is eighth highest in the majors this season.
The Mariners were just one win away from their first-ever World Series berth last year but have struggled through a 55-58 record that has them three games out of first place in the AL West and two games out of the final wild-card spot entering Monday's games.
In nine MLB seasons, Ward is hitting .247 with 120 home runs and 375 RBIs.
Hoppe is a 27-year-old rookie with a good fastball (98 mph) and a high ERA (5.79). He has never had big success as a professional, with a 4.57 minor league ERA.
Moore is another reliever, a late bloomer who pitched for NAIA Menlo College before transferring to Oregon. He's already 26 and is in Double-A, with a fastball that has hit triple digits. He overwhelmed Class A hitters but has had less success in Double-A.
Kreiling is just returning after Tommy John surgery delayed his pro career after getting drafted in the 17th round.
ESPN's David Schoenfield contributed to this report.