Inside The Cardinals

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

Nate Hagerty

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
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
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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.

More MLB: Cardinals Front Office Reportedly Facing 'Financial Restraints' From Unwise Ownership

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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