Inside The Cardinals

Ex-Cardinals 2-Time Gold Glover 'Very Thankful' For Landing With AL East Contender

The former St. Louis slugger is ready to compete in 2025
Nate Hagerty|
Sep 22, 2018; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Tyler O'Neill (41) has his uniform ripped off by second baseman Yairo Munoz (34) as they celebrate after O'Neil hit a walk off solo home run off of San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Mark Melancon (not pictured) during the tenth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Sep 22, 2018; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Tyler O'Neill (41) has his uniform ripped off by second baseman Yairo Munoz (34) as they celebrate after O'Neil hit a walk off solo home run off of San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Mark Melancon (not pictured) during the tenth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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A former St. Louis Cardinals slugger has moved on with his career and is hopeful for a healthy season after landing with a top American League East club this winter.

It's no secret that the Cardinals have prematurely traded or parted ways with several former players who thrived almost immediately after leaving the organization -- Los Angeles Dodgers utility-man Tommy Edman is a prime example.

Another former St. Louis slugger traded away before reviving his career is greatlful for the opportunity that lays ahead of him with an AL East contender.

"I'm very thankful for my free-agent process," former Cardinals outfielder Tyler O'Neill stated Wednesday on MLB Network's Hot Stove after signing with the Baltimore Orioles this offseason. "For my process exactly, it happened early," O'Neill continued. "I signed ahead of my market and I'm very thankful to be joining a winning ball club here in Baltimore. You know, 91 wins last year and hopefully, we can improve on that this year and I'm just going to do whatever I can to play my part in that."

O'Neill, who spent the first six years of his big-league career with the Cardinals, signed a three-year, $49.5 million contract with the Orioles this winter right before superstar outfielder Juan Soto landed his record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets.

The two-time Gold Glove defender was traded from St. Louis to the Boston Red Sox last offseason in exchange for right-handed pitchers Nick Robertson and Victor Santos.

After joining the Red Sox last winter, O'Neill had an offensive resurgence -- batting .241 with 49 extra-base hits including 31 home runs, 61 RBIs and a .847 OPS in 113 games played for Boston.

Similarly to his tenure with the Cardinals, O'Neill was sidelined multiple times throughout the 2024 season, prompting the Red Sox to move on from him in free agency.

If O'Neill can stay healthy, he should be a significant offensive threat in the hypercompetitive AL East this season, especially to the reigning division champion New York Yankees, whose rotation has recently fallen apart due to injuries.

More MLB: Beloved Ex-Cardinals 2-Time All-Star Predicted To Betray St. Louis With Hated Rival

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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