Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O'Neill will start Monday's series opener against the hosting Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on the bench. The left-handed-hitting Ryan O'Hearn will start in right field and will bat third against D-backs right-hander Zac Gallen. O'Neill homered yet again on Opening Day to get off to a nice start in his first year in Baltimore, and he's continued to hit well in his first nine games, going 11-for-33 (.333) with three doubles, a triple, seven RBI, six runs scored, three walks and eight strikeouts in 37 plate appearances. Expect O'Neill to return to the starting lineup on Tuesday in Phoenix. O'Hearn should be a popular DFS sleeper on Tuesday in the matchup against Gallen, who he has hit .375 against with two RBI in a small sample size of eight at-bats. O'Hearn is searching for his first homer of 2025 and has gone 6-for-22 with three runs scored early on.
Ryan Mountcastle, Tyler O'Neill Sitting On Saturday
Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and outfielder Tyler O'Neill will not play on Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Both players were in the starting lineup for their first two contests. Instead, Ryan O'Hearn will cover first base and bat third, and Heston Kjerstad will cover right field and bat sixth. Mountcastle has gone 1-for-9 with a double over his first two games. O'Neill has enjoyed an impressive start to his Baltimore tenure as he has gone 3-for-6 with a long ball and four RBI. O'Hearn enjoyed great success against right-handers last summer as he posted a .264/.338/.439 slash line with 15 home runs. Kjerstad has flashed elite upside at times at Triple-A but has yet to see it translate to the big leagues. O'Hearn is worth a look in DFS, but Kjerstad carries more risk given his lack of consistent production.
Tyler O'Neill Homers In Sixth Straight Opening Day
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O'Neill probably wishes that everyday was Opening Day. On Thursday, O'Neill homered for a record sixth consecutive Opening Day. The right-handed slugger joined the O's this offseason and is already off to a bang. He went 3-for-3 at the plate with a three-run blast and two walks in the blowout win over the Toronto Blue Jays. The O's added O'Neill this offseason in hopes that he could be a reliable source of power in the middle of the lineup. So far, O'Neill is doing a great job after a 31-homer season in 2024. His power numbers alone make him worth rostering in most fantasy formats.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O'Neill (ribs) returned to the starting nine on Sunday afternoon. O'Neill was batting cleanup and covered left field. The 29-year-old was kept out of action over the past few days due to a minor rib injury. However, seeing him return to the lineup quickly suggests the injury was not serious. Earlier in the offseason, O'Neill inked a three-year $49.5 million contract with the Orioles. Last season, O'Neill enjoyed a strong bounce-back campaign in Boston, launching 31 home runs with 18 home runs. Across 113 contests, O'Neill held a .241/.336/.511 slash line and added 61 RBI. Under the hood, he generated an elite 17.3 percent barrel rate with a 48.8 percent hard-hit rate. Fantasy managers should expect the 29-year-old to have an everyday role in left field and is a great target late in drafts when looking for power.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O'Neill (ribs) is hoping to return to the starting lineup on Sunday. O'Neill is expected to go through a workout on Saturday and is "feeling much better." O'Neill was scratched on Thursday due to left rib cage soreness but appears to be nearing a return. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in case he faces a setback prior to Sunday's contest. Earlier in the offseason, the Orioles signed O'Neill to a three-year $49.5 million contract. Last season, the 29-year-old enjoyed a productive season in Boston as he launched 31 long balls with a .241/.336/.511 slash line with 18 doubles and four stolen bases. He generated an elite 48.8 percent hard-hit rate with a strong .480 xSLG. When healthy, fantasy managers should expect O'Neill to have an everyday role in the Baltimore left field.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O'Neill (rib cage) was scratched from Thursday night's Grapefruit League contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to left rib-cage soreness. The Orioles are saying he was removed from the lineup as a precaution. It doesn't appear to be anything to really worry about, but O'Neill has missed plenty of game action this week already due to an illness. With the 29-year-old out again on Thursday, Colton Cowser will play left field and bat cleanup. O'Neill hit 31 homers in his one and only season with the Boston Red Sox a year ago, but it also came with a 33.6 percent strikeout rate. However, he also walked at a strong clip of 11.6% percent. Injuries are part of the deal if you have O'Neill rostered, as he was on the injured list three different times in 2024. He does most of his damage against lefties but should be in the lineup regularly in Baltimore in 2025. O'Neill is ranked just inside the top-50 outfielders at RotoBaller.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O'Neill (illness) is expected to be back in the lineup on Monday, according to manager Brandon Hyde. The right-handed slugger is currently considered day-to-day with a minor illness. It's not shocking to see the O's taking the safe approach and giving O'Neill some rest this early in camp. O'Neill signed a three-year deal with the O's in the offseason. He figures to slide right into the middle of the lineup and should benefit from playing half his games in a hitter-friendly ballpark.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O'Neill (illness) is battling an illness and is expected to be sidelined for the next few days. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status but he should be expected to return to the starting lineup sometime next week. Earlier in the offseason, the Orioles signed the 29-year-old to a three-year $49.5 million contract. After battling injuries for several seasons, O'Neill was able to log over 100 games in 2024 for just the second time in his career. Across 113 contests in Boston last summer, O'Neill held a .241/.336/.511 slash line with 18 doubles and 31 home runs. He swiped four bags. He generated a strong .339 xwOBA with an elite 11.2 percent walk rate. However, he struck out at a hefty 33.6 percent rate. Fantasy managers should expect O'Neill to have an everyday role in the starting nine and is a viable target when looking for an outfielder with high-end power.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Baltimore Orioles have signed free-agent outfielder Tyler O'Neill to a three-year, $49.5 million contract. The deal includes an opt-out after the 2025 campaign. After playing in under 100 games in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons, O'Neill got himself back on track this past summer in Boston. Across 113 games, the 29-year-old held a .241/.336/.511 slash line with 31 home runs and four stolen bases. This was his best power output since his 2021 breakout campaign. Under the hood, O'Neill boasted a stellar 17.3% barrel rate and 48.8% hard-hit, which were among the highest marks in the sport. However, he carried a hefty 33.6% strikeout rate, which placed him in the second percentile among qualified hitters. While his home run total will likely drop playing in a more pitcher-friendly ballpark, fantasy managers should expect O'Neill to have prime RBI opportunities batting in a deep Baltimore lineup.
Tyler O'Neill Not Given Qualifying Offer, Headed To Free Agency
According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, the Boston Red Sox did not give outfielder Tyler O'Neill a qualifying offer, making him a free agent. O'Neill enjoyed a nice bounce-back campaign in last summer in Boston as he posted a solid .241/.336/.511 slash line with 31 home runs, 61 RBI, and four stolen bases. In the previous two campaigns, O'Neill hit just 23 long balls with a .229 AVG. Even though the 29-year-old missed time with numerous injuries this season, he was an elite fantasy contributor from a power perspective. Under the hood, his 17.3% barrel rate and 48.8% hard-hit rate suggest his power numbers should remain elite in 2025 if he can stay on the field. The former third-round pick remains a safe bet for power upside but will always be a risky asset, given his lengthy injury history.
Tyler O'Neill
• LF
•
Orioles
