Article: What Should The Red Sox Do With Tyler O'Neill?

[Brian Ziller]

Tyler O'Neill can chalk this season up to a successful one, but does he have a future with the rebuilding Red Sox?

Seconds after he was doused from behind with a cooler of ice water, Tyler O'Neill told NESN’s Jahmai Webster, “I’m just enjoying playing meaningful baseball here in Boston. It’s just a dream come true, and I just want to ride that energy through October.”

In all fairness, he didn’t specify which October. 

The Red Sox 2024 season is circling the drain, but at least for one night, that playoff aura was alive. And so was Fenway Park.

With runners at the corners in the bottom of the 10th inning and Baltimore leading by one run, Tyler O’Neill drilled an 88 MPH slider over the Green Monster and onto Landsdowne Street. The Fenway stands exploded as O’Neill’s teammate jumped over the dugout railing and stormed home plate.

O’Neill is the first and only Red Sox player to reach the 30 home run threshold this season. He’s been a much-needed power source from the right side of the plate. That night against Baltimore, O’Neill was the only righty in the first five spots in the lineup. Boston is 15th in the majors batting against left-handed pitching this season (.245 average), compared to third against righties (.260 average) O’Neill has had tremendous success against left-handed pitching this season, sporting a .315 batting average compared to .225 against right-handed pitching. Regardless of what happens in the next two weeks, retaining O’Neill is something the Red Sox will need to decide in relatively short order. He’s eligible to receive a Qualifying Offer, currently projected at $21.2 million, according to FanGraphs. 

That’s one item on the laundry list of actions to be taken within the first 2-3 weeks following the World Series as outlined by Red Sox Payroll:

Outside of Juan Soto, O’Neill may represent the best power bat in free agency this off-season particularly because he has performed well in Boston and has publicly expressed interest in remaining with the Red Sox, which is not to be overlooked. Jordan Montgomery reportedly turned down a four-year offer from the Red Sox this past offseason because he did not view them as a serious playoff contender.

For the second time in his career, O’Neill has topped 100 games played (having played 138 games in 2021). It’s a fact that’s both promising and concerning. O’Neill has missed 27 games this season due to injury. He suffered a concussion in April, right knee inflammation in May, and a left leg infection in August. 

There’s also a question about the roster logjam beginning in 2025. The exclusivity of Masataka Yoshida at DH prevents real challenges in being able to rotate more versatile players.

The Red Sox have Jarren Duran under control through 2028, Wilyer Abreu through 2029, and Ceddanne Rafaela potentially through 2032.

The Red Sox also hope to promote top prospects Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, and Kyle Teel during the 2025 season. Three of them represent more left-handed hitting. Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow will almost assuredly address the lineup balance this offseason, while also working to rectify their most glaring bugaboo: the pitching. 

Boston will most likely extend the qualifying offer to O’Neill at season’s end, at which point the ball is in his court. Although his presence muddies the waters in terms of roster construction, he may be their best option for a more balanced and dangerous lineup come next spring.

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[notin]

Soto bats right-handed?

[Brock Beauchamp]

4 hours ago, notin said:

Soto bats right-handed?

Ooooh, that one is my fault. I read right past that line, should have caught it in editing.

[Brian Ziller]

On 9/16/2024 at 1:50 PM, notin said:

Soto bats right-handed?

Nope. Just stating the the obvious that he'll clearly be the best power bat in free agency. RH or LH, it doesn't matter. There's also no way Boston signs him.

[mvp 78]

48 minutes ago, Brian Ziller said:

Nope. Just stating the the obvious that he'll clearly be the best power bat in free agency. RH or LH, it doesn't matter. There's also no way Boston signs him.

The media isn't even pretending to link Boston to Soto. 0.00% chance. I think we're almost at the point where most people would doubt if the Sox would be realistically in on ANY big names. Henry is going to have to prove it with a big FA signing or two before we come back around.