Source: Orioles reach agreement with O'Neill on three-year contract (and Sánchez for one year)

The Orioles found their right-handed hitting outfielder.

The club is signing Tyler O’Neill to a three-year contract worth $49.5 million, according to a source. The deal, which becomes official after he passes a physical, includes an opt-out after 2025.

This is the first multi-year free-agent contract since Mike Elias joined the front office, though it could become a one-year deal with the opt-out. The Orioles hired Elias as executive vice president/general manager in November 2018.

O’Neill’s deal also signals that the club is moving on from Anthony Santander, a free agent who hit 44 home runs this summer.

Power isn’t sacrificed with O’Neill in the fold. He hit 33 homers in 113 games with the Red Sox and posted a .336 on-base percentage in 473 plate appearances. Santander owns a career .307 OBP.

Seven years in the majors, the first six with the Cardinals, produced a .246/.322/.469 line with 109 home runs. O’Neill hit 34 in 2021 and finished eighth in Most Valuable Player voting in the National League.

O’Neill also won back-to-back Gold Gloves 2020-21, but Baseball-Reference.com assigned him a minus-0.5 dWAR this year.

A big item on Elias’ offseason shopping list was a right-handed bat to balance out a left-handed heavy lineup that includes outfielders Colton Cowser, Cedric Mullins and Heston Kjerstad. O’Neill can play all three outfield spots, with the majority of his starts in left.

The Orioles could sell O’Neill on their rise from rebuild to playoff team, and also the decision to move in the left field wall, which makes the ballpark more appealing to right-handed hitters. O’Neill has appeared in only four games at Camden Yards and gone 3-for-16 with eight strikeouts.

He hit three home runs in a Sept. 9-11 series at Fenway Park, including a three-run shot off Keegan Akin in the 10th inning in the final game.

O’Neill is a career .270/.376/.547 hitter against left-handers, compared to a .239/.305/.446 line against right-handers.  

The Winter Meetings begin Sunday in Dallas. The Orioles also want at least one starting pitcher and reliever, along with a backup catcher.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman first reported O’Neill’s deal.

* A source also confirmed that the Orioles reached agreement on a one-year deal with catcher Gary Sánchez, as first reported by Heyman, who added that the veteran backstop will be paid $8.5 million.

Sánchez, who turned 32 last week, can be the replacement for free agent James McCann. He appeared in 89 games with the Brewers this summer and hit .220/.307/.392 with seven doubles, a triple, 11 home runs and 37 RBIs.

Sánchez spent his first seven seasons with the Yankees, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting in the American League in 2016, making two All-Star teams and winning a Silver Slugger in 2017 after batting .278/.345/.531 with 20 doubles, 33 home runs and 90 RBIs. He's the fastest catcher to 100 homers in major league history.

The Orioles are his sixth team since 2021 and he hasn’t played in more than 128 games in his career. Sánchez hit three home runs against the Orioles in an April 7, 2019 game at Camden Yards.

His 22 career homers against the Orioles are his most against any opponent. He's hit 11 in 33 games at Camden Yards.

The Orioles added two right-handed bats a day before the Winter Meetings.