Red Sox Reportedly 'Definitely Interested' In Re-Signing Ex-Cardinals Gold Glover

St. Louis might not have a chance at a reunion with the slugger

May 19, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter Tyler O'Neill (17) walks off the field after flying out against the St. Louis Cardinals during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals offense was the team's Achilles' heel this season and the front office must find a way to bolster the lineup this winter.

Re-signing five-time Silver Slugger Paul Goldschmidt won't be enough for the Cardinals to have a different outcome in 2025. Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. will likely need to dig deep into his pockets this offseason to retool a lackluster St. Louis offense.

Sadly, a former Cardinals slugger who could be a logical option this winter might be off the table after the latest development shows that the Boston Red Sox could re-sign him.

"(Craig) Breslow (Red Sox chief baseball officer) praised Tyler O’Neill’s contributions and said he’s 'definitely interested in having some of those conversations' about a potential return for the free agent to be," as transcribed by The Boston Globe's Alex Speier on Wednesday.

O'Neill is batting .240 with 49 extra-base hits including 31 home runs, 61 RBIs and a .847 OPS in 112 games played for Boston this season.

After having somewhat of a falling out with the Cardinals last season, O'Neill was traded to the Red Sox in exchange for right-handed pitchers Nick Robertson, who is now in the Toronto Blue Jays farm system and Victor Santos, who has been subpar with Triple-A Memphis.

Despite having a resurgence at the plate this season, O'Neill is injury-prone. It would be risky for the Cardinals to spend potentially $20 million per year on a player who will only play 3/4 of the season.

Although it would be great to have a player capable of smashing 30 home runs a season on the Cardinals roster, O'Neill's price tag likely would be too high for St. Louis' comfortability level at spending this winter.

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