The Baltimore Orioles turned heads on Saturday, inking Tyler O’Neill to a three-year, $49.5 million contract with an opt-out after the 2025 season.

That essentially puts an end to the Anthony Santander era, setting up the free-agent right fielder for a hefty payday and a new home ballpark next season.

Santander should have his share of suitors after a career-best campaign in Baltimore, in which he slashed .255/.308/.506 with 44 home runs and 102 RBI.

That’s where the New York Yankees come into play. On the surface, Baltimore signing a quality bat like O’Neill is bad. This O’s offense is extremely explosive at its peak and O’Neill, when healthy, brings major pop to the middle of any lineup.

That said, Baltimore is arguably losing the better player — and setting up a potential Yankees contingency plan in the process.

Of course New York wants to re-sign Juan Soto, but the Mets, Red Sox, and Blue Jays are all lurking.

If Soto leaves the Yankees hanging, that puts a major hole in the outfield depth chart. Who better to fill it than Santander, who is intimately familiar with the AL East landscape?

Going to the Yankees would also give Santander to apply direct pressure to the O’s, who he surely wants to exact revenge upon.