Tyler O'Neill's Concussion Puts Orioles at 12 Players on the Injured List

The Baltimore Orioles are in full damage control mode. Before Sunday's 6-2 win over San Francisco at Camden Yards, outfielder Tyler O'Neill was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list, retroactive to Thursday. That brings the total number of Orioles players on the shelf to 12, and it's getting worse before it gets better.

What Happened to O'Neill

The 30-year-old O'Neill missed the first two games against the Giants while the team said he was "under the weather." Turns out there was much more going on. Manager Craig Albernaz revealed that O'Neill had been battling an illness all week. On Thursday's off-day, things took a turn for the worse: O'Neill became "extremely dehydrated" and actually fainted. "We're guessing that he probably banged his head a little bit," Albernaz said. "As he was getting worked up to play, he just felt dizzy. So, we've got to make sure he's good to go."

This is O'Neill's 18th IL stint in his nine-year MLB career. He's been through this before, landing on the concussion injured list once in 2024 during his time with the Red Sox (April 16-23). Through 10 games this season, O'Neill was hitting just .241 with one home run, four RBIs and a .698 OPS.

The Injury Pile Is Getting Ugly

O'Neill wasn't the only casualty from Sunday's game. Manager Craig Albernaz announced that first baseman/designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle has a broken fourth metatarsal on his left foot. The 29-year-old is expected to miss a substantial period of time. The good news: catcher Adley Rutschman's MRI on his inflamed left ankle came back "encouraging," and Albernaz suggested his 10-day IL stint could be brief.

This follows an absolutely brutal 2025 season where Baltimore used the IL 39 times for 29 different players while limping to a 75-87 record and last place in the AL East. The 2026 season hasn't been any kinder so far. Despite an 8-7 start, injuries keep piling up.

What's Next for Baltimore

To replace O'Neill, the Orioles recalled outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez from Triple-A Norfolk. The 26-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Guardians on March 29 and was hitting .333 (8-for-24) with one double and two RBIs over eight games for Norfolk before being called up. He drew a pinch-hit walk in Sunday's game.

With O'Neill down, Baltimore will lean on Taylor Ward, Colton Cowser, Dylan Beavers, and Leody Taveras as the primary outfield options. As for Mountcastle's replacement, the Orioles have plenty of options to fill the roster spot before Monday's series opener against Arizona. One possibility is second baseman Jackson Holliday, the 22-year-old who began the season on the IL recovering from right hamate surgery. He's played 11 Triple-A rehab games, with his final assignment wrapping up Wednesday.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.