Baltimore Orioles Signing of Tyler O'Neill Given Low Grade by MLB Writer

The Baltimore Orioles are taking a massive gamble on outfielder Tyler O'Neill and at least one writer believes it may not be worth it.

Sep 23, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox designated hitter Tyler O'Neill (17) makes contact with the ball during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles entered this offseason with a roster filled with offensive talent, and a pitching staff in need of some attention with ace Corbin Burnes entering free agency.

Despite the clear need for pitching, the organization has focused its free agency efforts more on the offensive side, including taking a massive gamble on veteran outfielder Tyler O'Neill with a three-year, $49.5 million deal.

O'Neill has struggled with injuries throughout his career, playing in 100 or more games only twice in six possible campaigns, though one of those did come in 2024.

The slugging outfielder posted a .241/.336/.511 batting line with 31 home runs, 61 RBI, and a 132 OPS+ across 473 plate appearances in 113 games for the Boston Red Sox.

In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Zachary D. Rymer graded the free agency signings across baseball to this point in the offseason, and gave the O'Neill signing a grade of "D", grading as "pointless."

"This might look like an anti-Conforto signing at first. But as much as you'd think O'Neill's right-handed pull power would have been boosted by Fenway Park, he had a higher OPS on the road (.883) than at home (.809) for the Red Sox this year," writes Rymer. "Rather, bigger concerns include O'Neill's strikeout habit, injury likelihood and diminishing returns on defense. This is otherwise a big gamble on how OPACY will play for right-handed power hitters. Again, the jury's out."

O'Neill did play in two games at Camden Yards in 2024, going 2-for-8 with both hits being singles and one RBI. He entered 2024 going only 1-for-8 at Camden Yards through the rest of his career with that one hit also being a single.

O'Neill's batted-ball profile is not as big of an issue for the club as his extensive injury history is. The outfielder has averaged only 90 games a year across all six of his 162-game seasons, and the Orioles are paying him $16.5 million a year for at least 2025.

There is an opt-out after 2025, but with the outfielder's injury history, it is unlikely to be exercised, and he will be owed another $16.5 million in each of the two following years.

Baltimore has made some questionable signings this offseason. While O'Neill is more of a gamble, it could pay off, but history says otherwise.