Source – Tyler O’Neill and Orioles reach three-year, $49.5 million deal

Outfielder Tyler O’Neill and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a three-year, $49.5 million contract, a source told ESPN, filling a void left by the free agency of powerhouse outfielder Anthony Santander.

O’Neill, who has an opt-out clause after the first year of his contract, turned a successful season with the Boston Red Sox into the biggest win for an outfielder this winter. While that will soon be eclipsed by the signing of Juan Soto, the 29-year-old O’Neill adds a right-handed bat to the Orioles’ lineup full of lefties.

He did most of his damage against left-handed pitchers this year, hitting 16 of his 31 home runs against left-handed pitchers – in less than half of the plate appearances. With the left field fences set to move at Camden Yards, O’Neill can leverage his power with a lineup that already includes Gunnar Henderson, Adleyrutschman, Jordan Westburg, Colton Cowser and Cedric Mullins.

After spending his first six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, O’Neill was traded to Boston last winter and hit .241/.336/.511 with 61 runs in 113 games. It was the highest game O’Neill had played since his breakout 2021 season, when he finished eighth in the National League MVP voting and won his second consecutive Gold Glove in left field.

Injuries have hampered O’Neill, who is part of a strong free-agent class of corner outfielders that includes Soto, Santander (who hit 44 homers for Baltimore this year), Teoscar Hernandez, Jurickson Profar, Joc Pederson, Max Kepler and Michael Conforto and Alex Verdugo.

No one hits lefties as well as O’Neill, who hit .313/.430/.750 in 156 plate appearances this season and has a career OPS against lefties that is 182 points higher. Baltimore takes advantage of platoon splits when possible and gets a career year from Ryan O’Hearn, a left-hander who punishes right-handed pitching.

Baltimore’s winter won’t end with O’Neill.

The Orioles continue to actively seek starting spot options to join Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer in their rotation. Baltimore ace Corbin Burnes, who pitched eight brilliant innings during the Orioles’ wild-card series loss to Kansas City, is a free agent expected to receive a $200 million contract.

Baltimore also reportedly agreed to a one-year, $8.5 million contract with veteran catcher Gary Sanchez on Saturday.