Orioles announce signings of O’Neill, Sánchez
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DALLAS—The Orioles made the signings of outfielder Tyler O’Neill and catcher Gary Sánchez official on Tuesday. O’Neill signed a three-year contract, which has an opt-out after the 2025 season, for $49.5 million. Sánchez signed a one-year deal for a reported $8.5 million.
The arrival of O’Neill, 29, and Sánchez, 32, effectively ends the Oriole careers of outfielder Anthony Santander and catcher James McCann.
Santander, who hit 44 home runs, seventh-most in club history, and won a Silver Slugger is a coveted free agent at age 30.
“Soft spot for me,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Somebody I care about a lot. He’s gone through a lot for the last six years. To watch a guy grow from this young player with a lot of tools to put himself in this position.
“There’s a lot of teams who’d love to have Anthony Santander. To put himself in that position, very, very proud of him.”
On July 29th, McCann was hit in the face by a pitch that broke his nose. He remained in the game, which impressed Hyde and everyone else.
“James McCann last year brought a lot of leadership for our team,” he said. “A team that didn’t have a ton of guys with a lot of experience, a 10-year vet, a guy who showed a lot of toughness, the famous hit-by-pitch and to be able to stay in the game showed what kind of person and player and teammate he is. He brought a lot to the table the past couple of years.”
With the addition of O’Neill and Sánchez, the Orioles’ 40-man roster has 39 players.