A few years ago, if you told Baltimore fans that they would sign outfielder Tyler O’Neill, they would have thought you were dreaming.
In 2021, O’Neill was a Gold Glover and finished eighth in the MVP voting. Now, just in his second year with the team, the three-year, $49.5 million contract looks like a complete disaster.
What looked like a sneaky move that could pay massive dividends for this team ultimately turned into a swing-and-miss. Injuries decimated his first season with the team, allowing him to only play in 54 games. In his appearances, he hit just .199 with nine home runs, also striking out 51 times.
Now, in 2026, he is finally healthy, yet he is playing even worse than he did last year. On June 19 against the Dodgers, O’Neill committed a critical throwing error to allow Los Angeles to walk it off. It was the final straw for many O’s fans, as he once again cost the team a win with his poor play.
Tyler O’Neill Has Not Lived Up to His Contract
Baltimore brought O’Neill in with the expectation he would lead this young talented roster. Specifically, the team viewed him as a power bat who could hit left-handed pitching. Since the signing, O’Neill has done neither of those things.
In the 2024 season with Boston, he hit .313 vs. lefties with a 1.179 OPS and 16 home runs. This season against southpaws, O’Neill is hitting only .125 with an OPS of .357 (lowest of his career) and no home runs in 61 plate appearances. The Orioles, as a team, are 20th with a .229 batting average against lefties.
The large, fully guaranteed contract the team handed him appears to be the only reason he remains on the team. His contract ranks second on the team, only to that of star first baseman Pete Alonso, who is getting paid $31 million this year.
Despite the large contract, O’Neill is close to unplayable. Baltimore is soon going to have to make an uncomfortable decision.
What Are the Orioles’ Options?
His contract being guaranteed leaves the team only two real options. The first — and less desirable — option is to bite the bullet on the contract and have him play for the organization until 2027. Baltimore only has one more year of his contract before they’re off the books.
The second option is to trade him to a team like the Colorado Rockies. Colorado not only ranks 21st in payroll, but they are also last in the MLB with a 32-49 record. The Rockies can not only afford the deal but also can use the trade as a way to acquire some of Baltimore’s prospects — like Vance Honeycutt or Heston Kjerstad — to speed up their rebuild.
Baltimore must make a decision soon with the trade deadline rapidly approaching on Aug. 3. The Orioles are currently in the wild card hunt.
With O’Neill on the team, he not only blocks Baltimore from going younger but also hurts the team’s chances of returning to the playoffs. It’s clear the team is in a lose-lose situation, but the Baltimore front office needs to find an answer quickly before it’s too late.
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