Should the Orioles Consider Shopping Tyler O’Neill?

After the surprising trade for Taylor Ward sent the team’s first round pick from 2018 in Grayson Rodriguez to Anaheim, the Baltimore Orioles’ very important offseason is starting to take shape.

With Ward’s addition, the outfield in Birdland is looking a little crowded. The Orioles currently have eight outfielders, not including utilityman Jeremiah Jackson, who made a few starts in the outfield for the Orioles as well.

That crowded outfield also includes Tyler O’Neill. The O’s signed O’Neill as a free agent last offseason to a three-year, $49.5 million contract with a player option for the last two years of the deal.

As most people expected, the former St. Louis Cardinal and Boston Red Sox opted into the player option, keeping him under contract in Baltimore through the 2027 season.

O’Neill’s option to opt-in did not come as a shock. After only playing in 54 games due to injury, the 30-year-old slashed .199/.292/.392 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs. The odds that O’Neill would have received the same amount of AAV from another team were quite low.

2025 has not been the only year where injuries have hindered the former Gold Glove winner from playing. In his eight-year career, excluding the 60-game 2020 season, O’Neill has only managed to play more than 100 games twice.

With Ward joining the team and O’Neill coming off a disappointing season, the question of whether the Orioles should move on from the 30-year-old have begun swirling. Barring injuries, what kind of role can O’Neill even play?

In this article, the pros and cons of keeping the veteran outfielder will be laid out, as well as a prediction on how the new coaching staff will handle the situation.

What the Orioles Can Gain

After O’Neill’s first year in Baltimore, it is easy to question how much value the outfielder brings to the team. Injuries and inconsistency plagued a season where the former Gold Glove winner struggled to get anything going.

However, if you look at the situation from a glass-half-full perspective, things cannot get much worse in 2026!

Despite a rough year, O’Neill did have a promising month of July, which provides a glimpse at what the O’s could expect if he can stay on the field.

In July, the slugger hit .259/.339/.593, with five home runs and 10 RBI. Over half of O’Neill’s home runs and nearly half of his RBIs came in July alone. While that’s an encouraging month, it also speaks to the rest of his body of work.

Nonetheless, that type of production is what the Orioles signed up for in the offseason. If O’Neill can stay on the field and find some more consistency, a return to that kind of form would be greatly welcomed.

The Cost of Keeping O’Neill

When it comes to potential negatives, the two with the strongest arguments behind them are O’Neill’s inconsistency and the crowded outfield in Baltimore.

His inconsistencies are not secret. The 30-year-old has struggled to stay on the field and has struggled to produce from year to year. However, to not beat a dead horse, let’s focus on the second problem that O’Neill could cause.

With Ward’s recent acquisition, the Orioles now have eight outfielders on the 40-man roster.

The projected starting outfield features Ward, Colton Cowser, and Dylan Beavers. With the O’s going out and trading for Ward — giving up five years of control of Grayson Rodriguez — along with the strong defense Cowser plays and Beavers’ encouraging end to 2025, all three have earned consistent playing time.

The Orioles also brought in Leody Taveras, who will fit into more of a fourth outfielder role with strong defense and speed on the basepaths.

With those four spots full, O’Neill does not have any immediate path to consistent playing time. Barring injuries to the starting outfielders, opportunities in 2026 could be scarce.

The Orioles also have several prospects who could knock on the door in 2026, including Arizona Fall League Defensive Player of the Year Enrique Bradfield Jr. and former Florida Gator Jud Fabian.

Heston Kjerstad will also more than likely have a role with the team as well. Despite the early struggles and injury concerns, odds are the O’s will have a longer leash with the former top-5 pick.

If O’Neill is forced into the lineup and his production does not improve, not only will it hurt Baltimores’ chances of getting back to the postseason in 2026, but it will impact the development of some of the Orioles’ young hitters as well.

What are the O’s going to do?

As this very important offseason continues for the Orioles, questions about what direction the front office would take this team are slowly being answered.

The biggest puzzle piece put into place so far has been Craig Albernaz’s hiring as the new skipper. Coming from back-to-back AL Coach of the Year Stephen Vogt’s staff, Albernaz comes highly touted to the Charm City.

With this being the 42-year-old’s first manager job, specifics on how he will run this team will have to wait until the season starts. This bodes well for O’Neill.

More than likely, this coaching staff is going to give the slugger another shot. With a fresh set of eyes and new coach coming from one of the best managed teams in the league, all hope may not be lost to restoring O’Neill to his better days.

If June rolls around and the former Gold Glover is showing no signs of improvement, then the coaching staff will assess if he should stay on the team.

The Orioles’ offense needs all the help they can get against left-handed pitching. As long as O’Neill provides any help in that department, he will continue to be on the team.