The Baltimore Orioles are struggling. On Saturday, they fired manager Brandon Hyde after a rough start that has left Baltimore at the bottom of the AL East. Before the season, the Orioles were even considered potential American League contenders. So, what went wrong? While there are many factors, much of the blame falls on the moves made by GM Mike Elias this offseason — particularly those that haven’t paid off yet. A prime example is Tyler O’Neill, who signed a three-year, \$49 million contract this winter.
O’Neill posted a 2.6 WAR last season with the Boston Red Sox, largely due to his offensive improvements. His defense has always been strong, going back to his early days with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Baltimore Orioles exposed with latest Tyler O’Neill roster move
Tyler O’Neill is known for his Gold Glove-level defense in the outfield, but his offensive performance has been a major disappointment. As of this week, he’s been hitting well below the Mendoza Line. FanSided recently commented on his struggles:
“I don’t mean to spoil things, but the Orioles haven’t been able to get him right. Even after returning from the injured list, O’Neill’s performance remains just as poor as it was in late April. Orioles fans don’t ask for much, but hitting .200 is a minimum expectation for any player — especially one signed to a nearly \$50 million deal over the next three seasons.”
The Orioles placed Tyler O’Neill on the injured list Sunday morning due to left shoulder discomfort. Although the injury is minor, O’Neill has a history of missing time at critical moments—just ask Cardinals fans. Interestingly, the player promoted to the taxi squad partly to fill in for O’Neill is former St. Louis top prospect Dylan Carlson.
Carlson has had limited action in Baltimore this season, with just 15 at-bats and a -0.2 WAR. While he’s clearly not the long-term solution in the outfield, it’s becoming fair to question whether O’Neill is either. Carlson finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2021 but has since struggled. Perhaps Orioles GM Mike Elias should reconsider the value of paying big for two outfielders who didn’t make a lasting impact with St. Louis in the first place.
