Ex-Cardinals 34-Home Run Slugger Predicted To Sign With Pirates

There should start to be plenty of movement across MLB in the near future

Sep 8, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Pittsburgh Pirates hat and glove before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

There is a lot of movement on the way across Major League Baseball and there are plenty of former St. Louis Cardinals available on the open market.

One of the top former Cardinals players who is going to cash in this winter surely is ex-St. Louis outfielder Tyler O'Neill. He spent the first six seasons of his career as a member of the Cardinals before being traded to the Boston Red Sox ahead of the 2024 season.

He responded with the second-best season of his career. O'Neill clubbed 31 home runs and drove in 61 RBIs in 113 games played. His best season came with the Cardinals in 2021 when he hit 34 home runs and drove in 80 runs in 138 games played.

O'Neill is out there on the open market and certainly could provide some right-handed pop to the middle of a team's order. The Athletic's Andy McCullough released a list of one player each team should go out and sign in free agency and predicted that O'Neill will land in the National League Central as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"Tyler O’Neill, (outfielder)," McCullough said. "O’Neill clubbed the baseball around in his lone season in Boston. He slugged .511 and hit 31 homers. He won’t turn 30 until next June. He won two Gold Gloves with St. Louis. So why isn’t he expected to secure a nine-figure deal? Injuries. He’s been dogged by them the last few years.

"He played 113 games for Boston as he dealt with a variety of minor issues. A team like Pittsburgh, which isn’t too far away from contending in the National League Central, should be willing to risk a three-year deal on a player with O’Neill’s upside."

It was the right move to let him go despite a great 2024 season, but it would be tough if the Cardinals had to face off against him in the division for years to come.

More MLB: Cardinals All-Star Predicted To Leave St. Louis To Join Diamondbacks