The Orioles are at the point where Tyler O’Neill’s fit has to be questioned, and the All-Star break gives them a clean window to do it.
O’Neill has been described as relatively immobile and oft-injured, and he’s been living on borrowed time on a roster that already has too many players who are largely position-less. Baltimore’s younger, cheaper options are said to have more upside, and the argument is that they could become more than they are now if and when this franchise gets good again.
His deal has already been framed as a sunk cost, which is why the break is being cast as the right moment for the Orioles to get honest about the mistake and show they can admit it. The idea is simple: if Mike Elias has truly changed after eight years of mostly failures, it should show up in the form of O’Neill being put on the market.
The suggestion is that once O’Neill is designated for assignment, Baltimore should let every team know how much of the remaining contract it is willing to absorb. The contract is described as a doozie at $18 million a year, and the Orioles are being urged to take whatever they can get and move on.
There are already alternatives in the organization. Dylan Beavers or Leody Taveras can handle right field, and if Taylor Ward is traded, Enrique Bradfield Jr. could be added to the mix if he is healthy.
The reality, though, is that getting anything of value for O’Neill would be impossible. He has at least shown a little power lately and has made a few catches in right field, including homering in three straight at-bats after basically not homering all season. He also hit a lefty or two, something he hadn’t done since the Orioles gave him the contract before last season.
But the larger case against him is that he doesn’t bring much off the bench and isn’t a preferred option against left-handed pitching. Coby Mayo, a former top 100 prospect who is third in MLB in OPS vs lefties, and Jeremiah Jackson, a former top 10 prospect for the Angels, are both better in that role and offer more overall.
The numbers only sharpen the point. O’Neill has played 113 games and logged 384 plate appearances for Baltimore, producing 15 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .197/.292/.373 slash line. He can’t steal a base, and his throws go up the third-base line, which makes him look even less useful here than he would elsewhere.
The criticism extends beyond the player, too. The owner is described as a billionaire who received $600 million in stadium upgrades from taxpayers and has barely invested in payroll in a meaningful way, despite being an immediate public supporter of a salary cap.
For the Orioles, the conclusion is blunt: O’Neill offers too little, duplicates skills that others on the roster already do better, and makes even less sense if the club is paying most of the contract.
In Other News...
Orioles Finally Got A Clear Chris Bassitt Injury Update
Chris Bassitts back issue has finally moved from a nagging problem to a clear recovery plan, and that matters for an Orioles club that has been watching the veteran right-hander try to pitch through discomfort since mid-April. The injury clearly affected his ability to move and finish pitches the way he wanted, and his performance slipped enough that he was eventually sent to the injured list after a rough stretch on the mound.
Bassitt has now had a procedure to address the issue, and the next phase is all about healing and building back up through a throwing progression. There is still no exact timetable for when hell be ready to return, which leaves Baltimore waiting to see how his body responds as he ramps up again. [Read more 🡒]
Adley Rutschman Just Made Orioles Fans Face An Uncomfortable Reality
Adley Rutschman stood alone as Baltimores lone All-Star selection, a reminder of both his importance and the uneven first half that has surrounded the Orioles. Even with the club publicly signaling that it wants to keep him around for the long haul, the catchers media session offered little comfort to anyone looking for a clean answer about where this relationship is headed next.
Rutschman declined to get into trade chatter or contract talk, choosing instead to keep the focus on baseball and the present tense. That is understandable in July, but it also leaves Baltimore in an awkward spot, with one of the franchises cornerstone players carrying a future that feels increasingly worth watching as the deadline approaches and the organization tries to balance winning now with protecting what comes after. [Read more 🡒]