Orioles reach agreement with outfielders Tyler O’Neal According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the contract is for three years and is worth $49.5. Heyman added that the Boras Corporation client’s contract comes with the opportunity to opt out after the 2025 season.
In June, O’Neal, 30, had just transferred from the Cardinals to the Red Sox and was entering his walk year. While he had a stellar 2021 season in St. Louis that earned him MVP consideration, two straight seasons of downturns combined with a plethora of viable outfield options made O’Neal an anomaly with the club. However, he made the most of the situation this year and earned himself a regular role in Boston.
Although O’Neal struggled with his health as he was on the disabled list twice last year, he performed at a high level when he was healthy enough to play. In 113 games with Boston, he slashed .241/.336/.511 with a 131 wRC+. While O’Neal made up for it with 31 home runs and an 11.2% walk rate, his strikeout rate was an embarrassing 33.6%.
The outfielder is certainly not without his flaws. His high strikeout rate is at least somewhat concerning even considering his power and high walk rate, and he also posted massive platoon splits last year. While he posted an incredible 215 wRC+ against left-handed pitching last year, offense against same-handed pitchers made his overall offense below average (91 wRC+) as he hit just .208/percent against them. .290/.403. O’Neal’s lengthy injury history is also a red flag that could affect his value for years to come. However, despite these concerns, it’s easy to see O’Neal being a fit for Baltimore. The Orioles have a deep group of position players who could help fill in for O’Neal if he gets injured, and maybe even give him the occasional few days off against tough right-handed opponents.
Meanwhile, O’Neal’s impressive numbers against left-handed pitching could provide a huge boost to the Orioles’ left-handed lineup. Last year, the Orioles outfielders hit a respectable .236/.302/.419 (106 wRC+) against left-handed pitching, but most of that came from Anthony Santander132 wRC+ against lefties. Santander is now a free agent, with the southpaw leaving the club Colton Cowser, Cedric Mullins, Heston Shellstad,Maybe Ryan O’Hearn in their expected outfield mix. All four of those players are left-handed hitters, and Cowser’s 89 wRC+ against lefties last year was the highest market among the four. By adding O’Neal to the mix, the Orioles should be able to help balance an outfielder who is projected to be well below average against lefties in 2025.
It’s worth noting that they’re also doing this for much cheaper than simply re-signing Santander. While MLBTR’s No. 9 free agent on our annual list of the 50 MLB Free Agents is expected to sign a four-year, $8MM free agent contract after hitting 44 home runs for the Orioles this year, O’Neal ended up with 19 Prices in the U.S. dollar ranked low. O’Neal beat the deal by a small margin in terms of total guarantees, and he added extra value to his contract by giving himself the opportunity to opt out of the final two years of the deal next winter. If O’Neal can stay healthy and replicate the strong performance he had in Boston in 2025, it’s not hard to imagine him re-entering free agency next winter for a more lucrative deal.
At the same time, O’Neal will provide an experienced player to the Orioles’ young and exciting lineup. It’s no secret that Baltimore is in the market for a catcher to back it up Adley Rutschmann In that position and push the abstention line add Rene Pinto into a depth role, but O’Neal’s signing could represent a major offensive upgrade for the club this winter. However, this does not mean that they have survived the winter. The club has long been linked to the starting pitching market as they look to reunite with their ace or replace him corbyn burns At the top of their rotation. Beyond that, the team plans to add a bullpen to help replace pitchers Danny Coon and Jacob Weberalthough returns closer to Felix Bautista Tommy John surgery in the spring should give the relievers a big boost.
Even after adding O’Neal, the club still has the resources available to make those additions. RosterResource projects the Orioles will have $114 in payroll by 2025, and O’Neal is among them. Not only is this a step up from last year’s wage bill, it is also the highest wage bill the club has proposed since the 2018 season. Certainly, the club’s new ownership group, led by David Rubinstein, appears to be more open to free agent spending than the Angelos family was in the final years of their ownership tenure, and the club has been candid about their increased salary flexibility this winter. . The club may be further encouraged by how clean their long-term books are: O’Neal’s contract is the first guaranteed money on their books for the 2026 season, and all other salary commitments are in the form of arbitration-level or pre-arbitration-level players.
