Red Sox Reportedly Acquire Ex-Cardinals Gold Glove Award Winner In Surprise Trade
The Boston Red Sox reportedly have a new outfielder.
Boston recently shocked the baseball world by trading away former Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees. The Red Sox have been linked to multiple outfielders in free agency but it sounds like they are adding another outfielder through trade.
The Red Sox reportedly are acquiring two-time Gold Glove Award winner Tyler O'Neill from the St. Louis Cardinals, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
"Tyler O’Neill is being traded to Red Sox," Heyman said.
O'Neill is an intriguing player for the Red Sox to add. He has spent most of his career playing left field and center field and at one point seemed like he could be a rising star. Injuries have derailed his career, but when he has been healthy, he has shown plenty of upside. In 2021, he played in 138 games and finished in eighth place in the National League Most Valuable Player voting at just 26 years old.
The former Cardinals outfielder clubbed 34 home runs, drove in 80 runs, stole 15 bases, and slashed .286/.352/.560 while also winning his second Gold Glove Award. O'Neill appeared in just 72 games last season with St. Louis and hit nine home runs, drove in 21 runs, and slashed .231/.312/.403.
When O'Neill is healthy, he can be a difference-maker. If he can return to his 2021 form, he could be a major pickup for Boston. He will be a free agent at the end of the 2024 season and Boston will be able to decide if it wants to hang on to him. It's unclear exactly what the club's offensive alignment will look like, but O'Neill is a solid right-handed bat that the team certainly needed.
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