The Baltimore Orioles have made a difficult roster decision, placing outfielder Tyler O'Neill on the 10-day injured list due to inflammation. The move, reported by Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banter on X, formerly Twitter, is retroactive to April 24. To fill the roster spot, the Orioles called up outfielder Dylan Carlson from Triple-A Norfolk.

The outfielder was sidelined during Thursday's game and was expected to miss additional time even before Friday's rainout against the Tigers. He has battled soreness for more than a week as the O's scratched O'Neill from the lineup with neck soreness for a game against the Cleveland Guardians on April 16.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters that the IL placement is a precaution to ensure full recovery from his neck soreness. Fortunately, the team does not anticipate a long absence with expectations that O'Neill will be healthy to return in 10 days.

Tyler O'Neill has struggled to live up to big contract with Orioles

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Signed during the offseason to a three-year, $49.5 million dollar contract, O'Neill was Baltimore's headline acquisition. The deal, however, includes an opt-out after the 2025 season, adding more urgency for the player to remain healthy.

After a promising start that included a home run on Opening Day, O'Neill's production has cooled. Through 74 plate appearances, he's slashing just .215/.284/.385 with two homers, a concerning 28.4% strikeout rate, and declining hard-number contact numbers.

However, advanced metrics suggest there's hope for a turnaround. O'Neill's .333 expected wOBA significantly outpaces his actual wOBA, which sits at .293, indicating that he has suffered from a bit of bad luck. With time out to recover and reset, the IL stint might provide a much-needed breather for the 29-year-old outfielder to get his season– and Orioles career– back on track.

In the meantime, Dylan Carlson will look to take advantage of his opportunity. Carlson, once a top prospect, offers solid defense and has flashed occasional offensive upside. With the Orioles aiming to stay competitive in a tough AL East race, every roster move matters, and O'Neill's recovery could play a big role in Baltimore's playoff push later this season.