The Orioles have been seeking a right-handed-hitting outfielder and a backup catcher this offseason and apparently landed both on Saturday night.
Baltimore came to terms with outfielder Tyler O’Neill on a three-year, $49.5 million contract and catcher Gary Sanchez on a one-year, $8.5 million deal, according to multiple outlets. O’Neill’s deal — the first multiyear free-agent contract signed during the Mike Elias era — includes an opt-out after the 2025 season, which is notable considering the 29-year-old’s extensive injury history.
In the wake of Elias announcing the club’s plans to have more hitter-friendly left-field dimensions at Oriole Park at Camden Yards for 2025, Baltimore is adding two righty bats who combined to hit 42 home runs in 753 plate appearances last season. O’Neill clubbed 31 in 473 plate appearances for Boston last season while the 32-year-old Sanchez hit 11 with Milwaukee.
O’Neill’s talent has never been in doubt as he owns a career .792 on-base plus slugging percentage and has feasted on left-handed pitching with a .270/.376/.547 slash line over seven major league seasons, the first six with St. Louis. However, the two-time Gold Glove left fielder has played in more than 96 games in a season just twice as injuries have too often left him sidelined. O’Neill batted .241 with 31 homers, 18 doubles, 61 runs batted in, and an .847 OPS for the Red Sox last year despite three stints on the injured list due to a concussion, knee inflammation, and an infection in his leg.
Though O’Neill struck out 159 times last season, he coupled that swing-and-miss profile with a career-high 53 walks. The best season of his career came with the Cardinals in 2021 when he batted .286 with 34 homers, 80 RBIs, and a .912 OPS in 537 plate appearances over a career-high 138 games, production that resulted in him finishing eighth in National League MVP voting.
It remains to be seen exactly how the Orioles plan to use O’Neill since he’s posted a sub-.700 OPS against right-handed pitching in each of the last three seasons, a trend that could open the door for at-bats for the lefty-swinging Heston Kjerstad entering his age-26 season. But given the financial commitment, you’d assume O’Neill’s addition all but closes the door on the potential return of All-Star right fielder Anthony Santander. O’Neill has started games in center field and right, but he’s primarily played left field in his career.
Once regarded as a budding superstar with the New York Yankees, Sanchez will arrive in Baltimore as the backup to All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman and the replacement for James McCann. Despite All-Star seasons with the Yankees in 2017 and 2019, Sanchez will now be playing for a sixth different team since the start of the 2021 campaign.
In 89 games with the Brewers last season, he batted .220 with 11 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a .699 OPS. His defense behind the plate came under much scrutiny by the end of his tenure with the Yankees, but it’s rebounded to more respectable levels the last few seasons.
