O’Neill Signs with Orioles, Shutting Down Red Sox Reunion

The Red Sox’s pursuit of Juan Soto has seemingly overshadowed their interest in re-signing Tyler O’Neill. O’Neill inked a three-year, $49.5 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles yesterday, ending any hope for a Boston return.

According to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford, the Sox weren’t very aggressive in their attempts to retain the outfielder. As reported by Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, Boston’s focus on landing Soto, who remains unsigned, prevented them from making O’Neill any offers.

Orioles Focus Shifts

O’Neill’s arrival in Baltimore may close the door on another potential signing for the Orioles: Randal Grichuk. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports that the Orioles had interest in Grichuk, who provides a similar right-handed bat strength against left-handed pitching as O’Neill.

Grichuk turned down a $6 million mutual option for 2025 and is positioned to secure a significant contract based on his exceptional batting average against lefties and his versatility in the outfield.

Blue Jays Target Holmes

The Toronto Blue Jays showed considerable interest in Clay Holmes before his signing with the New York Mets earlier this week. As noted by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon, Toronto was solely interested in Holmes as a reliever. The Blue Jays are prioritizing bullpen reinforcement.

Holmes, who hasn’t started a game since his rookie year in 2018, will transition back to a starting role with the Mets under his new three-year, $38 million contract.

Rays Stadium Decision Looms

The Tampa Bay Rays face a crucial decision regarding their new ballpark. On Thursday, the St. Petersburg city council voted 4-3 to issue bonds to contribute to the project’s funding. Colleen Wright of the Tampa Bay Times provides insight into this decision and the upcoming Pinellas County Commission meeting on December 17, where the commission will vote on the bonds and $312.5 million in tourism taxes allocated to the ballpark.

The Rays have conveyed their intention to abandon the deal if the stadium opening is delayed beyond 2028. Hurricane Milton-caused damage to the Tropicana Field roof forced the Rays to temporarily relocate to George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa for 2025. The team’s location for the 2026-27 seasons remains uncertain.

Stay tuned for more developments in the MLB offseason as teams finalize their rosters and make strategic moves to improve their chances for the upcoming season!