Beloved Ex-Cardinals Star Mentioned As Economical Alternative To Juan Soto For Mets

The former St. Louis slugger will be coveted this winter

Jun 25, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) follows through on a solo home run against the New York Mets during the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals' offseason spending will likely be minimal, so reunions with available free agents cannot be counted on.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has traded several players on this winter's free agent market who have thrived since leaving St. Louis and likely won't be interested in a reunion anytime soon.

A former homegrown slugger who had an incredible 2024 season after being traded by St. Louis last winter is set to hit free agency and the New York Mets have been mentioned as a possible landing spot.

"Less expensive alternatives to (Juan) Soto include Teoscar Hernandez, Anthony Santander and Tyler O'Neill," ESPN's David Schoenfield wrote shortly after the Mets' devastating 10-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night, ending their magical postseason run.

O'Neill batted .248 with 148 extra-base hits including 78 home runs, 217 RBIs and a .776 OPS throughout six seasons spent playing for the Cardinals.

According to Spotrac, O'Neill has a projected market value of roughly $91 million over a five-year deal, which translates to nearly $18 million annually.

After logging a .241/.336/.511 slash line with 49 extra-base hits including 31 home runs and 61 RBIs in 113 games played for the Boston Red Sox in 2024, O'Neill is poised to receive a significant pay raise this offseason.

The only factor holding O'Neill back from landing a multi-year big-market deal with a team such as the Mets is his proneness to injury. The 29-year-old has missed significant playing time throughout his seven-year career, which might deter teams from committing to him long-term.

If the Mets can't acquire Soto, who could land a contract north of $500 million, O'Neill might be a more economical option to help bolster their lineup. However, the Cardinals will not look to reunite with the veteran outfielder, especially after how things ended with him and manager Oli Marmol.

More MLB: Cardinals' John Mozeliak Fails To Lead St. Louis To Playoffs; Helps Dodgers Win NLCS