Cardinals Slugger Sustains Possible Season-Ending Injury, Has He Played Last Game For St. Louis?
The St. Louis Cardinals' season has been riddled with injuries from the start and will continue to battle adversity up until the very end.
In the most recent case, fans might wonder if the slugger will ever don a Cardinals jersey again.
"The St. Louis Cardinals have placed outfielder Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day injured list with a right foot sprain," MLB.com's John Denton tweeted prior to Sunday's game. "Outfielder/designated hitter Juan Yepez, who has had his best stretch of 2023 in recent weeks, was recalled from Triple-A Memphis."
O'Neill's injury will take him right down the finish line, and could be season-ending. The 28-year-old is under team control through 2024 but that does not mean he will be back.
St. Louis reportedly tried to trade the two-time Gold Glove outfielder to the Miami Marlins "among other teams" ahead of the 2023 season but a deal never developed. Given the Cardinals' surplus of outfielders, he could be on the trade block this winter once again.
Many teams -- such as the Marlins, Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Guardians will be willing to exchange pitching for outfielder help, and St. Louis would be a logical partner for all three.
O'Neill is hitting .231 with 23 extra-base hits including nine home runs, 21 RBIs and a .715 OPS (95 OPS+) in 72 games this year. His season has been littered with ailments but he has a career 112 OPS+ alongside elite defensive capabilities.
It'll be interesting to see if O'Neill ever suits up for St. Louis again.
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