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The Baltimore Orioles made a splash in free agency on Saturday, agreeing to a three-year deal worth $49.5 million with Canadian slugger Tyler O'Neill.
Speaking at the Winter Meetings on Monday, O's manager Brandon Hyde revealed a player like O'Neill was exactly what they were looking for this offseason.
Via Danielle Allentuck:
“On MLB Network at winter meetings, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said adding a RHH like Tyler O’Neill was their goal this offseason.”
The Orioles have a lot of impact bats that swing it from the left side, especially in their outfield. Colton Cowser, Cedric Mullins, and Heston Kjerstad are the expected starters, but bringing in O'Neill will shake up that projection. He's a right-handed hitting outfielder who is capable of playing all three positions.
Perhaps the biggest reason why O'Neill is seen as a huge addition for the Orioles is because the ballclub is likely going to lose Anthony Santander to free agency. He slugged a career-high 44 homers last season. Baltimore needed an impact bat to replace Santander.
While O'Neill has dealt with a flurry of injuries in his big-league career, he's a very solid player when healthy. In 2024, the 29-year-old hit .241 with 31 homers and 61 RBIs in 113 games.
It was just the second time since coming up to the majors that O'Neill suited up for more than 100 games in a single season. O'Neill smacked 34 long balls back in 2021 and slashed .286, even finishing eighth in NL MVP voting.
Last month, GM Mike Elias hinted at the Orioles exploring the right-handed-hitting outfield market:
”I look at our current outfield mix with guys that we know are returning for sure, and it’s a very left-handed mix,” Elias said in November. “We’ll be seeking some right-handed players to balance that out.”
As long as he can stay on the field, O'Neill should make the Orioles even better in 2025 as they look to get over the playoff hump after back-to-back early exits.
