MLB analyst reveals Grayson Rodriguez’s bombshell claim zero medical test before Angels trade despite injury-prone past

The Los Angeles Angels traded Grayson Rodriguez from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for outfielder Tyler Ward. The trade has raised questions because of the injurious past of Rodriguez.

The pitcher missed the entire 2025 season due to a series of injuries. He suffered elbow inflammation, a lat strain and eventually surgery to remove bone spurs in his elbow.

Despite that, the Angels reportedly traded for his services without doing a medical and physical check, according to MLB analyst Jim Bowden. The analyst wrote:

"Grayson Rodriguez #Angels just told @FoulTerritoryTV that he did not take any kind of physical or medical test before being traded from the #Orioles to #Angels and that his dad asked him about that as well. With the medical history of Rodriguez how could #Angels make that trade without a physical?"

Jim Bowden⚾️

@JimBowdenGM

Grayson Rodriguez #Angels just told @FoulTerritoryTV that he did not take any kind of physical or medical test before being traded from the #Orioles to #Angels and that his dad asked him about that as well. With the medical history of Rodriguez how could #Angels make that trade

This was in line with comments from Grayson Rodriguez on Foul Territory, where he said:

"No, I got a call that said 'Hey, you've been traded to the Angels.' There were no physicals."

Getting Rodriguez is a big plus for the Angels' rotation, which ranked 28th out of MLB's 30 teams last season in ERA at 4.91. On top of that, the Angels get their hands on a pitcher with multiple years under team control.

Grayson Rodriguez reveals lingering injury issues

Grayson Rodriguez has started only 43 games in the past three seasons. In 2025, he recorded zero starts as different injuries kept him off the mound. He suffered from an elbow issue in spring training, a right lateral strain in April, and debridement surgery on his elbow in August, which ended his season.

During his interview with reporters, he talked about the lingering bone spurs issue, which has resulted in lat problems over the last four years.

"That was something that's kind of lingered with me for about three or four years now," Rodriguez said. "I've had them for a while and kind of just got to the point where I couldn't really pitch through it. Pretty sure that's kind of what was causing some of the lat injuries."

It remains to be seen if it was a big mistake to go without caution and complete the trade of Rodriguez.