Summary
The Cleveland Guardians traded their 13th-ranked prospect, Johnathan Rodriguez, to the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Carter Rustad. The trade took place at the beginning of the 2026 season as Cleveland seeks to improve its pitching options. Rodriguez, an outfielder, has not had a significant impact in the major leagues, while Rustad shows potential despite not being a top prospect.
Key Facts
- The Guardians lost 8-0 to the Seattle Mariners and made the trade announcement before the game.
- Johnathan Rodriguez, a 26-year-old outfielder, was traded to the Orioles.
- Rodriguez was the Guardians' No. 13 overall prospect.
- Cleveland received pitcher Carter Rustad from Baltimore.
- Rustad was the Orioles' 15th-round pick in the 2024 draft.
- The Guardians had previously designated Rodriguez for assignment, meaning they were willing to remove him from their roster to make room for another player.
- Rodriguez had played 44 Major League Baseball games with limited success, achieving a .586 OPS and two home runs.
- Rustad has shown improvement in his pitching, according to a scouting report.
