Baltimore Orioles Criticized for Overspending on Slugger Tyler O'Neill

The Baltimore Orioles found a replacement for power in the outfield, but one analyst believes they may have overpaid for Tyler O'Neill

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

The Baltimore Orioles needed a big offseason after failing to make it past the first round of the playoffs once again, and they got it started by bringing in outfielder Tyler O'Neill to provide some more power from a corner outfield spot as they are moving their walls in.

With Anthony Santander seemingly taking his talents elsewhere, O'Neill is the kind of perfect stop gap power hitter. The right hander had a huge offensive season in 2024, despite playing only 113 games. He hit 31 home runs and drove in 61 while posting a .847 OPS.

Baltimore gave him a three year, $49.5 million deal with an opt out after the first year. At first glance, that looks reasonable to give to a player of O'Neill's talent, but Bleacher Report does see a problem.

If he has another good year, the 29-year-old will likely opt out, which is not exactly a surprise. If he doesn't it's likely because of something he's struggled with his entire career: styaing healthy.

He only played in 113 games in 2024 because of three different stints on the injured list, all different injuries. O'Neill has only played over 100 games two times in his career, with the other coming in 2021 when he played 138 games and won a Gold Glove.

The best case scenario is that he has another All-Star type year and does opt out, with the Orioles sticking him in the middle of the lineup everyday, surrounded by the young talent of Baltimore.

Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly is worried about the other outcome of the contract, however.

"But if he struggles to stay on the field, he won't opt out, and the Orioles will be on the hook for the remaining two years. $16.5 million per season isn't a crippling amount ... But it's also not an insignificant amount to dedicate to someone that history tells us won't be regularly available," Kelly wrote.

The outfielder's injuries are a concern, and it's something he'll have to prove he can overcome. If he doesn't opt-out, it likely means he was hurt for most of the season and missed a significant amount of games.

But the upside to this deal is way too intriguing to pass up. O'Neill could provide 30+ homers even if he doesn't player 130+ games, as he proved in 2024. He adds even more potency to what was already an extremely potent lineup.

Plus, the Orioles have several young outfielders on the roster or at Triple-A that could fill in the gaps if O'Neill is unavailable.