Tyler O'Neill inks 3-year deal with Orioles featuring 2025 opt-out option

After spending the 2024 season with the Boston Red Sox, outfielder Tyler O'Neill entered free agency to seek a fresh start. The 29-year-old had been traded to the Red Sox after spending much of his major league career with the St. Louis Cardinals.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, O'Neill is heading to Baltimore after agreeing to a three-year contract with the Orioles. The deal is worth $49.5 million and includes an opt-out clause after 2025.

This marks the first time the Orioles have signed a free agent to a multi-year contract since Mike Elias became the team’s general manager and executive vice president. The Orioles’ outfield for the upcoming season was originally made up of only left-handed hitters: Colton Cowser, Cedric Mullins and Heston Kjerstad.

Now, they’ve added right-handed Tyler O'Neill to balance the mix. This move also helps fill the potential gap left by switch-hitter Anthony Santander, who hit a career-high 44 home runs last season but is now a free agent.

Throughout his career, Tyler O'Neill has struggled with injuries, playing fewer than 100 games in five of his seven major league seasons. In 2024, he missed several games due to a head injury, right knee issues, and a left leg infection.

Tyler O'Neill coming off a solid 2024 season with the Boston Red Sox

Tyler O'Neill had a solid season with the Red Sox in 2024. In 113 games, he recorded a .241 batting average with 99 hits in 411 at-bats.

He scored 74 runs, hit 31 home runs, drove in 61 RBIs, walked 53 times, stole four bases, and posted an .847 OPS. O'Neill has won the Gold Glove Award twice, in 2020 and 2021. According to CBS Sports rankings, he was listed as the 31st-best free agent entering the offseason.

The Baltimore Orioles had a strong season in 2024, finishing with a 91-71 record, which placed them second in the American League East. Despite their success in the regular season, the Orioles struggled in the postseason, being swept by the Kansas City Royals in the 2024 American League Wild Card Series.