The Orioles are in settlement with outfielder Tyler O’Neill on a three-year, $49.5MM deal in keeping with Jon Heyman of the New York Publish. Heyman provides that the Boras Company shopper’s contract comes with an opt-out alternative following the 2025 season.
O’Neill, 30 in June, entered his stroll yr having simply been shipped from the Cardinals to the Crimson Sox. Whereas he had earned down-ballot MVP consideration with a implausible 2021 season in St. Louis, back-to-back down seasons mixed with a glut of viable outfield choices left O’Neill because the odd man out with the membership. He made the a lot of the state of affairs and carved a daily function for himself in Boston this yr, nevertheless.
Whereas O’Neill struggled along with his well being between two journeys to the injured record this previous yr, he carried out at a excessive stage when wholesome sufficient to take the sphere. In 113 video games for Boston, he slashed an robust .241/.336/.511 with a 131 wRC+. That manufacturing got here with an unpleasant 33.6% strikeout price, although O’Neill made up for it considerably with 31 homers and a 11.2% stroll price.
The outfielder is actually not with out warts. His excessive strikeout price is no less than considerably regarding even when factoring in his energy and excessive stroll price, and he additionally posted an enormous platoon break up final yr. Whereas he put up an unbelievable 215 wRC+ towards left-handed pitching final yr, same-handed pitchers held him to under common offense (91 wRC+) total as he hit simply .208/.290/.403 towards them. O’Neill’s prolonged harm historical past can also be one thing of a crimson flag that would hamper his worth within the coming years. Even with these issues, nevertheless, it’s simple to see O’Neill’s slot in Baltimore. The Orioles have a deep place participant combine that may assist to cowl for O’Neill when he’s injured and even perhaps give him occasional days off towards powerful right-handed opponents.
In the meantime, O’Neill’s phenomenal numbers towards left-handed pitching may present an enormous enhance to a closely left-handed Orioles lineup. Orioles outfielders hit an honest .236/.302/.419 (106 wRC+) towards left-handed pitching final yr, however a lot of that manufacturing got here from Anthony Santander’s 132 wRC+ towards southpaws. Santander is now a free agent, leaving the membership with the lefty-swinging Colton Cowser, Cedric Mullins, Heston Kjerstad, and maybe Ryan O’Hearn of their projected outfield combine. All 4 of these gamers are left-handed hitters, and Cowser’s 89 wRC+ towards lefties final yr was the best market among the many quartet. By including O’Neill to the combination, the Orioles ought to be capable to assist stability an outfield that projected to be effectively under common towards southpaws in 2025.
Notably, they’ve additionally performed so at a much more reasonably priced price ticket than they probably would’ve in the event that they merely re-signed Santander. Whereas MLBTR’s #9 free agent on our annual High 50 MLB Free Brokers record was predicted for a four-year, $80MM pact in free company after slugging 44 homers for the Orioles this yr, O’Neill ranked farther down the board at $19 with a projected deal of three years and $42MM. It’s a deal O’Neill managed to beat by a small quantity when it comes to complete assure, and he managed so as to add further worth to his contract by affording himself the chance to choose out of the ultimate two years of the deal subsequent winter. If O’Neill manages to remain wholesome and replicate his robust manufacturing from his time in Boston in 2025, it’s not laborious to think about him re-entering free company in line for a way more profitable deal subsequent winter.
Within the meantime, O’Neill will present a veteran presence in a younger and thrilling Orioles lineup. Baltimore is understood to out there for a catcher to again up Adley Rutschman on the place and push waiver wire addition Rene Pinto right into a depth function, however O’Neill’s signing probably represents the heavy lifting when it comes to the membership’s offensive upgrades this winter. That doesn’t imply they’re performed for the winter, nevertheless; the membership has lengthy been related to the marketplace for beginning pitching as they give the impression of being to both reunite with or change ace hurler Corbin Burnes on the prime of their rotation. Except for that, the membership figures to make bullpen additions who may help to exchange hurlers Danny Coulombe and Jacob Webb, although the return of nearer Felix Bautista from Tommy John surgical procedure within the spring ought to present a giant enhance to the reduction corps already.
The membership figures to nonetheless have assets accessible to make these additions even after including O’Neill. RosterResource tasks the Orioles for a $114MM payroll in 2025 with O’Neill within the fold. That might not solely be a step above final yr’s payroll but in addition the best payroll the membership has put ahead for the reason that 2018 season. In fact, the membership’s new possession group led by David Rubenstein has appeared much more open to spending in free company that the Angelos household was within the closing years of their possession tenure, and the membership has been candid about their elevated payroll flexibility this winter. The membership is probably going additional emboldened by simply how clear their long-term books are: O’Neill’s contract is their first assured cash on the books for the 2026 season, with all different payroll commitments coming within the type of arbitration stage or pre-arbitration stage gamers.
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