Ex-Cardinals Star Projected To Receive $90 Million Contract

The former St. Louis star certainly is going to cash in this winter

Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

It may not end up being the best offseason for the St. Louis Cardinals, but it could be a good one for a former member of the organization.

Former Cardinals slugger Tyler O'Neill spent the first six seasons of his big league career with St. Louis. He struggled with injuries throughout his St. Louis career, but when he was healthy, he looked like a star. O'Neill finished eighth in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting in 2021 as a 26-year-old and seemed poised to be a star for St. Louis for the foreseeable future.

Injuries changed things, and then the club traded him to the Boston Red Sox for pennies on the dollar ahead of the 2024 season. O'Neill thrived and finished the season with 31 home runs and 61 RBIs in 113 games played. Now, he's in line for a big payday.

O'Neill will be one of the most coveted right-handed hitters in this year's free-agent class, and he's currently projected to receive a deal worth $90 million over five years by Spotrac.

It's unclear where he will go. There's a chance he could return to Boston in free agency, but it's clear that O'Neill will have plenty of suitors. One team that can be ruled out right now certainly is St. Louis. The Cardinals didn't end things on great terms with O'Neill, and they've already made it known they are cutting payroll. O'Neill would be a great player to help St. Louis' offense, but that reunion isn't happening.

More MLB: Blockbuster Trade Idea Lands Cardinals $75 Million Star With Rangers