The Baltimore Orioles made a move after an update on outfielder Tyler O'Neill.
Tyler O’Neill’s time with the Baltimore Orioles has been defined by inconsistency and injury frustration. The start of his second season with the club has followed a similar pattern.
After a disappointing 2025 in which injuries limited him to 54 games and he hit just .199 with a .292 on-base percentage and .392 slugging percentage, the Orioles hoped a fresh year would bring better results. O’Neill showed early signs of improvement in 2026, but the momentum has stalled again due to another setback.
The Orioles announced on Sunday that outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez had been recalled from Triple-A and O’Neill had been placed on the seven-day concussion injured list, retroactive to April 9.
The move came after O’Neill was scratched from Friday’s lineup against the San Francisco Giants due to what the team initially described as an illness, and he also did not play Saturday.
It is possible O’Neill’s head issue was initially mistaken for sickness. With concussion symptoms varying widely, the Orioles do not yet know whether O’Neill will be ready to return when his 7-day stint ends or if he could miss extended time.
That uncertainty is especially difficult for a team already dealing with significant injuries. The Orioles currently have eleven players on the injured list, including key position players Jordan Westburg, Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad and Adley Rutschman. Losing O’Neill adds another challenge to a roster already stretched thin.
Rodriguez was placed on Baltimore’s medical taxi squad earlier in the week and now steps into an active role. Acquired from the Cleveland Guardians in trade this March, the 25-year-old has limited major-league experience, hitting .176 across parts of the 2024 and 2025 seasons with Cleveland. Baltimore hopes he can provide depth while O’Neill recovers and act as an alternative option in the outfield.
Before going down, O’Neill had been used primarily in a platoon role in left field playing against mostly left-handed starters. He remains a strong defender as a two-time Gold Glove winner. While he did not continue his streak of Opening Day home runs this season, he was off to a more encouraging start at the plate compared to last year and his absence is another big blow.
With O’Neill sidelined, Dylan Beavers is expected to take on a larger role in the outfield. The Orioles will hope O’Neill’s absence is brief, but given his lengthy injury history, they know they must prepare for every possibility.