Tyler O'Neill posted a rebound season in 2024, and the impending free agent will hit the open market when the World Series ends in a month.
After he walked off the series against the Baltimore Orioles with a three-run homer on Sept. 11 in the throes of a Wild Card chase, the 29-year-old shared some hopes for his future.
"Playing in Boston, September, meaningful baseball, it's a dream come true," O'Neill said to Jahmai Webster of NESN.
The slugger recently doubled down on his desire to re-sign with the Boston Red Sox next season. O'Neill slashed .241/.336/.511 with a .847 OPS and mashed 31 homers in his first year away from the Cardinals.
"I really hope Boston (takes) interest in me... I've made a lot of good relationships and friendships here, really enjoyed the city."
— NESN (@NESN) September 18, 2024
Tyler O'Neill on his upcoming free agency@WebsterOnTV | #RedSox pic.twitter.com/EkwvgD6lTL
O'Neill's hot offensive season was one of the many unexpected surprises of the Sox's campaign. Boston's lineup was low on right-handed hitters, and O'Neill's power surge brought variability to the offense. Recent comments from Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow show an interest in bringing him back for another season.
"Obviously our lineup is pretty imbalanced in terms of being left-handed heavy,” Breslow said. “Figuring out how to balance that out, take advantage of the short left field wall. We saw the effect of a guy like Tyler and 30-plus home runs as a right-handed power hitter in the middle of the lineup.”
O'Neill's profile is perfect for Fenway Park. Twenty-five of his 31 homers soared out from left field. The Green Monster is just 310 feet from home plate, and O'Neill absolutely used it to his advantage.
There are some obstacles to a potential long-term deal with the outfielder. O'Neill was known for frequent injuries during his time with the Cardinals, which was one of the main motivations for shipping him elsewhere before the 2023 slate. He's never played more than 138 games in a season and usually doesn't get close to that number. He clocked 113 games for the Sox this year, the second most he's ever played in a single campaign over his seven-year career.
Red Sox and Tyler O'Neill show mutual interest in another deal, but Boston's outfield is expected to be packed
Boston's outfield is also expected to be packed next year. There was already a bit of a logjam in 2024 when Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Rob Refsnyder, Wilyer Abreu and O'Neill all split playing time in the grass. Masataka Yoshida only posted one inning in the outfield, and while his defense is problematic, his $18 million salary isn't doing much in Boston's everyday designated hitter spot.
Roman Anthony is also expected to be MLB-ready next season. Breslow didn't rule out any top prospects making the roster out of spring training, so the competition for playing time in the outfield could be stiff as soon as the season begins.
The Red Sox don't have a clear use for O'Neill going forward, but the team is expected to make some trades for pitching depth this offseason. The Sox are heavy on left-handers and outfielders, which makes Duran and Abreu top trade candidates, especially after the seasons they both posted in 2024.
A new deal for O'Neill shouldn't be taken lightly by Boston's front office based on what it already has to work with in the outfield and O'Neill's injury history. If the Sox can find a spot for him in the outfield, his righty power swing could help them break up their lefty lineup for years to come if he can stay healthy enough to make the deal worth it.