Ward ready to prove he can be Angels' leadoff hitter

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Angels manager Ron Washington said he plans to use a combination of Taylor Ward, Mike Trout and Jorge Soler in some order among his top four spots in the lineup.

But if it’s up to Ward, he’d prefer to be the club’s leadoff hitter, as it’s a role he excelled in last year -- and he had an interesting reason why he loves it so much.

“I like hitting first, really, just because knowing what pitch you’re going to see first,” Ward said. “It’s a 99 percent chance it’s gonna be a fastball. So I like that part of it. I’m going to be swinging if it’s there, I’ll say that.”

When told that opposing teams will know he’ll be hunting that first pitch of the game, Ward doubled down with a smile.

“It’s fine, you can let them know,” Ward said. “I’ll be swinging at their first pitch.”

Washington was told of Ward’s preference and said the initial plan is to have Ward hit first this season. Ward was the club's leadoff hitter 42 times last year and batted .278/.352/.500 with nine homers and 20 RBIs compared to hitting .211/.303/.364 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs in 90 games as the club's No. 3 hitter.

“We're gonna try to let him go hit leadoff,” Washington said. “He seemed to be comfortable there. He told you all he's comfortable there, and that's my signal.”

Ward said his goal this season is to be more consistent at the plate, as he’s been a streaky hitter in recent seasons. But he also believes it helps being a year further removed from suffering facial fractures after being hit by a pitch on July 29, 2023. It was something he thought about at the plate last year, especially after he was hit in the helmet by a pitch last year on June 30.

Ward fell into a slump after being hit again, batting .113 over his next 14 games, but credited former teammate Willie Calhoun for helping him get over it. Ward went on to finish the year strong, hitting .284/.353/.482 with nine homers and 21 RBIs over his final 51 games in August and September.

“Last year getting hit again, that wasn't good,” Ward said. “But this year, I'm feeling good, just feeling confident. But it was tough last year. There was a week or two, I was in the box and just thinking about [getting hit by] the ball, which isn’t good. But Willie Calhoun really helped me get through it. He had been hit a few years earlier and said it’s just part of the game and he helped me move on.”

Washington said he can tell Ward is in a better place physically and mentally compared to last season, and he was proud of Ward for the way he grinded through last year. He led the team with 156 games played and slashed .246/.323/.426 with 25 homers, 26 doubles and 75 RBIs.

“He looks so much better this year, health-wise,” Washington said. “He dealt with a lot last year, but he was a staple. I like his heart.”

Washington also likes Ward’s defense in left field, which is a reason why Trout is moving from center to right field instead of left. There’s also less ground to cover in right field at Angel Stadium, which will hopefully reduce the wear and tear for Trout. Ward might see limited action in center but the Angels have other options there such as Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak.

“Ward has proven that he knows how to play left field in Anaheim, and I didn't want to make him uncomfortable,” Washington said. “We might give him a couple games down here in center field, just to see how he reacts to it. But if that need is not necessary, he’ll stay in left field.”

Ward said he’s pleased to know he has his position with the club locked down, but also is aware his name was bandied about in trade rumors over the past year. Ward remains under club control through 2026 and said he focuses only on what he can control.

“I'm more of a kind of deal with it when it happens sort of guy, so I don't really think too much about it,” Ward said. “Of course, I have friends in my inner circle who text me and ask me about it, but I just try not to think about it unless it happens.”