Orioles Acquire Guardians Outfielder in Trade

Johnathan Rodriguez joins Baltimore after playing under manager Craig Albernaz in Cleveland

Mar. 29, 2026 at 11:24pm

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The Baltimore Orioles have acquired outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez from the Cleveland Guardians in a trade. Rodríguez, who has hit 45 home runs in 205 Triple-A games since 2024, previously played under Orioles bench coach Craig Albernaz when Albernaz managed the Guardians' Triple-A affiliate.

Why it matters

The Orioles are looking to bolster their outfield depth and power potential as they aim to build on a promising 2025 season. Rodríguez's track record of success in the minors could provide a boost to Baltimore's lineup if he can translate that production to the major league level.

The details

In the trade, the Orioles sent a minor league pitcher and a player to be named later to the Guardians in exchange for Rodríguez. The 27-year-old outfielder has spent the majority of his professional career in Cleveland's farm system, where he has posted an impressive .925 OPS in 205 games at the Triple-A level.

  • Rodríguez has hit 45 home runs in 205 Triple-A games since 2024.

The players

Johnathan Rodríguez

A 27-year-old outfielder who has spent his professional career in the Cleveland Guardians' farm system, where he has hit 45 home runs in 205 Triple-A games since 2024.

Craig Albernaz

The current bench coach for the Baltimore Orioles, who previously managed Rodríguez in the Guardians' Triple-A affiliate.

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What they’re saying

“Johnathan has shown the ability to hit for power and get on base at the Triple-A level, and we're excited to see what he can do in our lineup.”

— Mike Elias, Orioles General Manager

The takeaway

The Orioles' acquisition of Johnathan Rodríguez represents a low-risk, high-upside move as the team looks to continue its rebuild and return to contention in the AL East. Rodríguez's familiarity with Orioles bench coach Craig Albernaz could also help ease his transition to the major league level.