Taylor Ward DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward came into Thursday's series finale against the hosting Tampa Bay Rays with a .196 average (9-for-46) with a homer and three RBI in his first 11 games this year. Ward turned things around in a big way at the plate in the 11-1 win over Tampa, though, going 3-for-5 with two home runs, two runs scored and three RBI to raise his season average to .235 and his OPS to .704. The 31-year-old led off the game with a solo, opposite-field shot before adding a two-run bomb in the fifth inning. He's clearly heating up, as he now has three home runs in his last two games in Tampa. Fantasy managers liked what they saw from Ward against the Rays and will be hoping he can keep it going as the Halos head to Houston for a weekend series against the division-rival Astros.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward (knee) is back in Thursday's Cactus League lineup against the division-rival Seattle Mariners and is serving as the designated hitter and batting leadoff. Ward developed some knee soreness in camp earlier in the week but will be returning to the lineup for the first time since Monday after several days off. The 31-year-old veteran has only played in four Cactus League games to this point, but he's swung a hot bat, going 3-for-8 with a double, RBI and a run scored. He will be L.A.'s regular left fielder yet again in 2025 and could benefit from a fantasy perspective if Mike Trout can stay healthy all year with his move to right field. In his seventh year with the Halos in 2024, Ward had a career-high 25 home runs and 75 RBI while slashing .246/.323/.426 in 663 plate appearances to make him a top-40 fantasy outfielder.

The Athletic's Sam Blum reports that both Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward (knee) and infielder Luis Rengifo (hamstring) said they are fine and expect to return to the Cactus League lineup in a day or so. Ward and Rengifo were both recently scratched from spring training action due to minor injuries -- Ward is dealing with knee soreness, while Rengifo merely had a hamstring cramp. The 31-year-old Ward will continue to serve as the Angels' starting left fielder in 2025 and could also be their leadoff hitter. While nothing he does at the plate jumps off the page to fantasy managers, don't forget that he finished the 2024 season as a top-40 outfielder for a bad Angels team. Rengifo, meanwhile, should also be an everyday player in 2025 as a utility infielder. He has very little power but is useful for infield depth later in drafts for his speed, contact abilities and positional versatility.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward (knee) is being considered day-to-day at camp while dealing with knee soreness, according to the Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher. Ward hasn't played in a Cactus League game since last Friday, although it doesn't appear that he's dealing with a serious injury. Barring a setback with his knee, we'd expect the 31-year-old veteran to be back in a spring training game later this week. When healthy, Ward will be the starting left fielder for the Halos again in 2025 and could also hit in the leadoff spot, boosting his run-scoring opportunities. Fantasy managers won't think too highly of Ward just because of where he plays, but his barrel rate and average exit velocities in 2024 were pretty impressive. Ward finished as a top-40 fantasy outfielder last year without fellow outfielder Mike Trout in the lineup for much of the season.

The Los Angeles Angels reinstated outfielder Taylor Ward from the paternity list on Friday and optioned third baseman Charles Leblanc to the minors in a corresponding move. The Angels haven't released their starting lineup yet for Friday's series opener in D.C. against the hosting Washington Nationals, but Ward should return to his starting duties in left field while batting in the middle of the order after missing the series in the Bronx against the New York Yankees this week. Outside of some modest power numbers (16 home runs), the 30-year-old Ward has had a pretty low ceiling on a bad Angels team in 2024. Since the All-Star break, he's homered twice while going 14-for-61 (.230), adding two doubles, 11 RBI, five walks and 20 strikeouts in 16 games played. Only three of his 16 homers this year have come off lefties, so he's not particularly attractive in DFS on Friday evening.