Tyler O'Neill has been thriving in the Boston Red Sox lineup. The slugger missed nine games after a scary collision with Rafael Devers in the outfield, but he fell back into step with Boston's batting order when he returned to action.
O'Neill has taken Red Sox Nation by storm this season after he quickly accumulated home runs in the early going. In just 19 games, the outfielder has hit as many homers as he hit with the Cardinals in 2023 — he holds second place in MLB with nine long balls, a tie with Gunnar Henderson and Marcell Ozuna.
On ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball broadcast, O'Neill was asked if he planned to participate in this year's Home Run Derby. He gave the answer Red Sox Nation hoped for.
"Yeah, I'm there. I'm there if I get the invite, man," he said.
Tyler O'Neill hopes to represent Red Sox in the 2024 Home Run Derby
Tyler O'Neill, mic'd up on ESPN, on the Home Run Derby. "If they invite me, I'm there."
— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) April 28, 2024
ESPN's broadcast crew said they'd work on securing O'Neill an invitation. At the rate he's going, he may have been one of the first on the list, anyway.
O'Neill has been home run-happy since Opening Day when he drilled his fifth-consecutive first-night bomb. He took sole possession of an MLB record for consecutive Opening Days with a long ball, leaving some elite company behind.
The outfielder struggled to stay healthy in his six seasons with the Cardinals. He's only played over 100 games once in his career in 2021, and he earned National League MVP votes that season. He hit a career-high 34 four-baggers, and the slugger is making his best case to challenge that number in a Red Sox uniform.
If he can stay healthy, O'Neill may be able to pull it off. Since he'll play half his games at Fenway Park, topping his 2023 homer figure may come easily — at least, easier than it'll be during the Home Run Derby at Globe Life Field.