Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Orioles agreed to a three-year, $49.5 million deal with free agent outfielder Tyler O’Neill:
Jacob Calvin Meyer, reporter: Mike Elias said in October he was “pretty confident” the Orioles could boost the club’s payroll this offseason. New owner David Rubenstein, 75, said he wanted to “speed up the effort” to win a championship in Baltimore given his age. Elias said last month that he was “very active” in the free agent market and that Rubenstein had “enabled us to be in a position” to compete for top players.
Fact check: True, true and true.
Let’s not overstate this. O’Neill (2.6 wins above replacement in 2024) isn’t a superstar, and his contract ($49.5 million over three years) does not constitute for most organizations as a significant investment. But for the Orioles, especially under Elias, this counts as a splash — and perhaps a prelude of more to come.
The three-year contract for O’Neill, which could turn into one year if the outfielder exercises his opt-out next offseason, is the first multiyear deal Elias has handed out to a free agent since taking over as the Orioles’ general manager in November 2018. Elias’ first six offseasons came under the Angelos family, and its reluctance to spend combined with the club’s rebuild is why the Orioles have been one of baseball’s most frugal clubs.
The winter meetings begin Sunday in Dallas. Maybe the O’Neill signing was just an appetizer.
Matt Weyrich, reporter: Pitching might be the top priority for the Orioles, but Mike Elias didn’t wait around for the Juan Soto market to clear up before finding some much-needed outfield help. O’Neill gives the Orioles what they lost in trading Austin Hays at last year’s deadline and then some.
The power-hitting slugger has two 30-homer campaigns the past four years and he’ll balance out what was a lefty-heavy outfield. O’Neill does carry some injury risk and his on-base percentage hasn’t always stayed afloat, but he should be a strong fit for Baltimore now that the team is moving the left field fence at Camden Yards back in.
The move is a strong sign the Orioles are serious in their pursuit of roster upgrades in free agency, though it’s tough to imagine Anthony Santander returns now that O’Neill is in tow.
Tim Schwartz, editor: An Oriole killer becomes an Oriole.
Tyler O’Neill was among the last batters any Baltimore pitcher wanted to see in 2024, and now they won’t have to thanks to Baltimore’s brass shelling out their first multiyear contract during Mike Elias’ tenure.
This all but closes the door on Anthony Santander returning, but O‘Neill showed Orioles fans what kind of impact he can have. He’s a 29-year-old power-hitting right-hander who drove in 99 runs and will cost Baltimore less than $50 million for three years (Santander would have cost more than double that). He’ll slide right into the middle of the Orioles’ lineup, and with an opt-out after next season, he might be motivated to produce even more and sign for more money next year.
It’s a great fit, but now it’s time to go into the deep end of the free agent market and sign an ace and prove that this isn’t the highlight of Baltimore’s offseason.