What Red Sox fans should know about new outfielder Tyler O'Neill
BOSTON -- With a severe lack of star talent on the roster, the Red Sox need to have a good offseason this winter. But while the Dodgers and the Yankees continue to add superstars, the Red Sox have given their fans a few fringe moves.
Boston's biggest move has actually been a bit of subtraction, trading Alex Verdugo to the Yankees last week. That trade, in addition to Adam Duvall's free agency, left a void in the outfield for new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to address.
He seemingly did just that late last week with a more affordable option in Tyler O'Neill, whom the Red Sox acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals for a pair of prospects. The move has a chance to really pay off for the Red Sox, but a lot would have to go right with O'Neill, who brings in a lengthy history of not playing baseball over his six-year career.
Here's what you need to know about the newest Red Sox outfielder:
The basics about Tyler O'Neill
O'Neill will turn 29 in June and played all six of his MLB seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. A native of Burnaby, Canada, O'Neill was a third-round pick by the Seattle Mariners in 2013. He was traded to the Cardinals in 2017 and made his debut in MLB 2018, slashing .254/.303/.500 with nine homers over 61 games for St. Louis.
O'Neill hits and throws righty, and stands at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds.
He's got a great glove
O'Neill is a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, taking home the award in 2020 and 2021. He had a career-best seven outfield assists in 2021, but also set a career-high of nine errors that season.
O'Neill has played mostly left field during his career, but also has experience in right and center field.
He had the best season of his career in 2021
O'Neill put up huge numbers in 2021, when he played in 138 games and slashed .286/.352/.560 to go with 34 homers, 80 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. He finished eighth in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting that season.
Injuries have been an issue
O'Neill's biggest issue has been his inability to stay healthy. He played in just 168 games over the last two seasons, with an array of ailments -- including a sprained right ankle, a back strain, strained hamstrings, and a right shoulder impingement -- forcing him to spend time on the injured list.
He played in just 72 games in 2023 because of a lower back strain, and hit just .231 with nine home runs and 21 RBI
He's huge
If you think Jarren Duran is jacked, wait until you see O'Neill. It looks like his muscles have muscles.
Duran and O'Neill should get along pretty well in the weight room.
O'Neill gets it from him father, Terry, who earned the title as "Mr. Canada" (given to the country's best bodybuilder) in 1975.
He strikes out a lot
O'Neill has played in 477 games in his career and has made 1,636 plate appearances. He has struck out 491 times.
So he fans about once every three at-bats, which is a lot.
Could O'Neill be Hunter Renfroe 2.0?
The Red Sox have had some success taking a flyer on outfielders the last few years. Duvall was a solid addition last year, and would have been even better if he hadn't fractured his wrist in April. In 2021, the Sox got a huge season out of Hunter Renfroe, who hit 33 homers and drove in 96 runs for Boston.
If the Red Sox can get the 2021 version of O'Neill, they'll be getting a bargain.
What's his contract status?
O'Neill will be motivated to stay healthy and put together a solid season, as he's heading into his final year of arbitration. He's projected to make around $5.5 million in 2024, just under $4 million less than what Verdugo is expected to make.
What does O'Neill's addition mean for the Red Sox outfield?
The Red Sox may not be done tinkering with their outfield, but for now it looks like it'll be O'Neill in left, Duran in center, and potentially Wilyer Abreu in right. O'Neill's addition will allow Masataka Yoshida to spend the bulk of his time at DH, with Cedanne Rafaela and Rob Refsnyder potentially rounding out the outfield depth.
