Ex-Cardinals Slugger Urged To Sign With Cubs As Juan Soto Backup

The former Cardinals star certainly will cash in this winter

Sep 26, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A detail view of a tribute to Miami Marlin pitcher Jose Fernandez on the hat worn by Chicago Cubs center fielder Albert Almora Jr. (not pictured) against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

One former St. Louis Cardinals slugger is a hot commodity on the open market.

The top option available in free agency is New York Yankees superstar Juan Soto. It seems as though major moves won't happen until Soto ultimately decides where he will play next. Any team would be lucky to have a 26-year-old superstar with Hall of Fame potential on the roster for years to come.

A handful of teams have been heavily linked to him, and the sweepstakes are starting to heat up. One team that was mentioned as a fit earlier in the offseason for Soto is the Chicago Cubs. While this is the case, the Cubs don't seem like a likely option and it's unclear if they have a meeting scheduled with him.

FanSided's Jacob Mountz put together a list of possible fits if the Cubs don't sign Soto and floated former Cardinals slugger Tyler O'Neill as an option.

"Among the sluggers on the market this offseason is a somewhat overlooked name," Mountz said. "Tyler O’Neill hit 31 home runs in 2024 through only 411 at-bats, slashing .241/.336/.511/.847. The main reason for any skepticism in signing O’Neill would be his frequent injuries. In his seven-year career, O’Neill has never seen 500 at-bats in a single season topping out at 482 in 2021. However, that season, he flashed his true slugging potential with 34 home runs and a .286 batting average coming in eighth place in the (National League Most Valuable Player) voting. On the glove side, he won his second of two Gold Gloves...

"However, if O’Neill can stay healthy, he may return to the MVP discussion. And despite the risk, the opportunity to sign a potent slugger at a rock-bottom price should be hard to pass on. If signed, he can bring much-needed power to a Cubs team that only hit 170 home runs in 2024."

O'Neill landing with one of the Cardinals' biggest rivals certainly would be a tough look. Hopefully, it doesn't become a reality.

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