The Orioles went into last offseason with the stated need of a lefty-mashing batter to balance out a lefty-heavy lineup. While it’s true the Orioles do have a lefty-heavy lineup, they weren’t actually
that bad against lefty pitchers in 2024. Nevertheless, the goal was stated and Mike Elias went out and addressed the need by signing Tyler O’Neill to a three-year contract with an opt-out after the first year.
This was notable as it was the first multi-year contract Elias handed out in his tenure with the Orioles. And he did it for a very flawed player. O’Neill was coming off a fantastic year with the Red Sox. However, his performance has been up and down over the years with the one constant being his spot on the Injured List. The ideal outcome for O’Neill’s 2025 was for him to be good enough help the Orioles back to the playoffs, then exercise his opt-out to get a bigger contract elsewhere.
That, of course, did not happen. O’Neill missed more time with injury than in any other year of his career. When he was in the lineup, he was bad. And he didn’t even live up to the hope that he’d hit lefties. In his limited action, he was even worse against them than against right-handed pitchers.
Before we get into the gritty details, it’s time for me to confess. Last fall, the writers of Camden Chat spent a few weeks detailing what off-season moves we thought the Orioles should make. I suggested the Orioles sign Tyler O’Neill. Normally, when I suggest things on this website that end up being bad ideas, I can claim that’s why I talk about the Orioles instead of working for them. But this time, what they did and what I suggested matched up! Sorry about that. It was a terrible idea.
The departure of Anthony Santander left a vacuum in the power-hitter department for the Orioles, and O’Neill could have filled that role. He mashed 31 dingers for the Red Sox in 2024 in just 113 games, and on Opening Day 2025 against the Blue Jays he hit his first as an Oriole. It was part of a three-hit, two-walk game. He then wowed the home crowd with a four-hit game in the home opener against the Red Sox a few days later. What a great signing! We love Tyler O’Neill! Not so fast…
O’Neill quieted down after that, but played steady baseball until April 23rd, when he had to go on the IL with neck inflammation. At the time, he was batting .215/.284/.365. Not great! O’Neill’s IL stint was relatively short, and he returned on May 9th to continue being bad. He returned for six games in which he picked up one hit, then went back on the IL. This time he had a left shoulder impingement. His OPS dropped to .608.
The Orioles had a miserable April and May, both with and without O’Neill. His second trip to the IL was longer, and he returned on 4th of July. Over the next month, he hit six home runs and three doubles, slugging .571 in 71 plate appearances. Given his injuries and slow start to the season, it was hard to trust him, but he was coming around. Unfortunately, he lasted just a month before hitting the IL again. That’s what he couldn’t be trusted!
On August 6th, O’Neill went on the IL for the third and final time. This time it was for wrist inflammation. He did not return until September 12th. The Orioles’ season had been lost for months, but by that point they were really just playing out the string. O’Neill played in 11 games between the 12th and the end of the season, and his hitting was back to being putrid. He had just six hits in that stretch until, mercifully, the season came to an end.
Overall, in 54 games, Tyler O’Neill hit .199/.292/.392 with nine home runs and six doubles. Quite a disappointment. There was a lot to dislike about his offensive game in 2025, for sure. But he did have a few good areas in offense, per Statcast. His bat speed is good, he has a good barrel %, and his walk rate was stable. Is this a sign that he could rebound next year? Your guess is as good as mine, but it’s better than him being miserable across the board.
Also poor was O’Neill’s defense. He had bad range in right field and often looked like he was running through Jell-O to get to the ball. He does have a pretty strong arm once he gets to the ball, so I guess that’s something. He somehow won two Gold Gloves early in his career, but those skills were not on display this year.
It’s not official that O’Neill isn’t taking his opt-out. That decision won’t be made until the World Series ends. But he is not going to take his opt-out. No one would sign him to the big contract that he’d need to take it. So he will be an Oriole for two more seasons. He may be pretty good in those two years, at least when he’s on the field. Because he will get hurt. But he has been decent enough in the past to have some hope for the future. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself.
