Inside The Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Officially Announce Signings of Tyler O'Neill, Gary Sanchez

The Baltimore Orioles have officially announced the signings of free agent sluggers Tyler O'Neill and Gary Sanchez.

Dylan Sanders

Sep 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Tyler O'Neill (17) his a three run home run to win the game against the Baltimore Orioles in ten innings at Fenway Park.
Sep 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Tyler O'Neill (17) his a three run home run to win the game against the Baltimore Orioles in ten innings at Fenway Park. / David Butler II-Imagn Images
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The Baltimore Orioles announced two big signings official on Tuesday afternoon.

It was reported last weekend that Baltimore had agreed to terms with outfielder Tyler O'Neill and catcher Gary Sanchez a few days ago, but now the team can officially comment on them as the contracts have been signed and announced.

Orioles social media accounts shared posts welcoming their new players and giving fans a glimpse as to what they will look like in their new threads.

Both players will have roles on the 2025 roster, but O'Neill is clearly the bigger deal.

The 29-year-old outfielder will step in for the potential loss of Anthony Santander and give the team another right-handed bat in their everyday lineup.

His deal will be for three years and is worth $49.5 million. Don't expect him to be around for that entire time, though, as it does come with an opt-out after the 2025 season.

If he performs to the level that Baltimore his hoping he will, O'Neill is likely to opt out and try again for a long term contract.

The power-hitter revived his career last season with the Boston Red Sox. He posted a .241/.336/.511 slash line with 31 home runs and 61 RBI. His OPS against southpaws was 1.180.

With the left field wall being moved in again next season, adding more righties to the lineup was an concerted effort.

That is also the reason that Sanchez was brought in. He isn't as consistent at the plate as he used to be, but still has plenty of thump.

The 32-year-old received a one-year, $8.5 million deal to back up Adley Rutschman. He should provide an upgrade for Rutschman's off days and will likely also be utilized as a pinch-hitter when they need a righty.

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Dylan Sanders
DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders

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