The Baltimore Orioles have officially signed outfielder Tyler O’Neill to a three-year contract, which features a player opt-out clause after the 2025 season. In addition, the team finalized a one-year deal with catcher Gary Sánchez on Tuesday.
O’Neill’s contract with the Orioles is valued at $49.5 million, with an annual salary of $16.5 million over the next three years. Sánchez, expected to serve as a backup to All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman, signed a one-year deal worth $8.5 million.
In his first season with Boston, O’Neill posted a .241 batting average, hitting 31 home runs and driving in 61 RBIs. He made an immediate impact by homering in his debut game with the Red Sox, setting a major league record for homering in five consecutive Opening Day appearances.
The 29-year-old outfielder was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year by the MLB Players Association this season. After playing just 72 games in 2023, O’Neill was traded to Boston from St. Louis, where injuries had limited him to 113 games. Despite the setbacks, his 113 games marked his second-highest total in a season, behind only his 138 games in 2021, when he set career bests in batting average (.286), home runs (34), RBIs (80), and stolen bases (15).
O’Neill’s versatility, with the ability to play both corner outfield spots, could be crucial if the Orioles lose switch-hitting power hitter Anthony Santander to free agency. His right-handed bat provides balance to the lineup, complementing left-handed hitters like Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser, Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad, and Cedric Mullins.
Sánchez, who hit .220 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs in 89 games for Milwaukee last season, has 184 home runs and 485 RBIs over his 10-year MLB career. He finished second in the 2016 American League Rookie of the Year voting, behind Detroit pitcher Michael Fulmer.
Roki Sasaki, a powerful 23-year-old right-handed pitcher from Japan, has been posted to MLB teams and will be eligible for signing starting Tuesday. The Orioles may be one of the teams showing interest. Koby Perez, the Orioles’ vice president of international scouting, stated that the team intends to carry out its “due diligence” on the Japanese pitching standout.
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