Orioles' outfielder expected to opt-in to contract

Coming off a strong season with the Boston Red Sox where he mashed 31 home runs and posted an .847 OPS, O'Neill became the first free agent that president of baseball operations Mike Elias had signed to a multi-year contract during his tenure in Baltimore; the eight-year veteran was signed as the replacement for long-time outfielder Anthony Santander, who left for Toronto. He started the season strong, hitting his sixth consecutive Opening Day home run and tallying eight hits with five RBIs in his first four games.

O'Neill then hit a brutal 3-for-36 slump and wound up on the 10-day IL with neck inflammation. When he returned 15 days later, he went just 1-for-15 across a six-game stretch and returned to the IL with a shoulder injury. After missing seven weeks, O'Neill found his stride in July and hit home runs in four consecutive games from July 25 to July 29.

But O'Neill's season was derailed again at the beginning of August when he returned to the IL after injuring his wrist trying to make a catch. He was able to return for 11 games at the end of the season, and finished the year with a dismal .199/.292/.392 slash line.

Still, the Orioles are confident that a healthy O'Neill can be a key contributor to a winning ballclub.

"From what I see as an evaluator, the talent is there,” Elias said. “The power, the swing, the way he moves in the outfield, that player is in there... I think he’s a tremendous roster fit for our group when he’s up and running and going good, and he’s a guy that can carry a lineup when he’s doing that. It’s a really high-impact, middle-of-the-order threat when he’s on a roll."

At his best, the powerfully-built slugger has proved to be a true force at the plate. In 2021, O'Neill hit 34 home runs while maintaining a .286 batting average and a .912 OPS for the St. Louis Cardinals. That season, he played in a career-high 138 games and earned his second consecutive Gold Glove in left field.

But injury concerns have plagued the eight-year vet throughout his career, as O'Neill has only eclipsed 100 games one other time (2024 in Boston). O'Neill now has 17 stints on the injured list with a wide variety of ailments, ranging from neck and shoulder soreness to hamstring and back issues at the end of his time in St. Louis.

With the veteran outfielder now set to opt-in to his deal, all the Orioles can do is hope that the healthy version of O'Neill shows up in 2026 for his ninth professional season.