In the most predictable move of the offseason, Tyler O'Neill has opted in to the final two years of the three-year contract he signed with the Baltimore Orioles last offseason. O'Neill's first season in Charm City was marred by injuries and poor production, so it's no surprise that he plans to cash in the remainder of his check heading into 2026 (and 2027).
This was always going to be a questionable signing for the Orioles — one that wouldn't have been possible if they didn't adjust the fences before the start of the 2025 season. O'Neill was coming off a solid season with the Boston Red Sox with an .847 OPS and 31 home runs during his lone year in Beantown.
O'Neill's performance in 2024 was only bested by his 2021 campaign with the St. Louis Cardinals when he mashed 34 homers, racked up 80 RBI, and posted a .912 OPS. Orioles fans are hoping that O'Neill can get back to that level of play next season, but he'll have a lot of things working against him.
Orioles fans roll their eyes after Tyler O'Neill opts into the final two years of his contract
O'Neill landed on the 10-day injured list barely a month into the 2025 season after suffering from inflammation in his neck. A quick turnaround saw O'Neill return just a few weeks later. But a left shoulder impingement sidelined him again, this time for nearly two months.
O'Neill returned to the Orioles lineup in early July, but suffered a wrist injury on August 8th that sent him to the 10-day IL once again. O'Neill returned about a month later and somehow was able to finish the regular season on the active roster.
O'Neill finished his first season in Baltimore with a .684 OPS and nine home runs while batting below the Mendoza line. That's not what the O's or their fanbase were expecting after signing him for nearly $50 million last winter.
The slugger will get a chance to redeem himself in 2026, but it's going to take a Herculean effort on O'Neill's part to regain the trust of the Orioles' fanbase after laying an egg in 2025.
