Philadelphia Phillies Linked to Former Gold Glove Winner in MLB Free Agency

This former Gold Glove winner would be a nice addition to the Philadelphia Phillies.

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies flamed out of the playoffs after their best regular season in nearly 15 years during a four-game domination in the NLDS at the hands of the rival New York Mets.

For three years straight now, while the previous two the team was obviously much closer than they were in 2024, the Phillies have not gotten it done in the biggest moments largely due to an offense that did not come through when it counted. While there can be a lot of reasons why that's the case, ultimately improving the lineup should be at the top of the list for Philadelphia this offseason.

The team bringing the biggest offer for Juan Soto feels unlikely based on Dave Dombrowski's comments stating that the team has enough stars, but Soto is far from the only bat available this winter that could be able to make an impact in the Phillies lineup. With a ton of interesting options especially in the power-hitting department, Joe Edinger of The Good Phight proposes Red Sox outfielder and former two-time Gold Glove winner Tyler O'Neill as a potential solution for the team without completely breaking the bank.

"His best calling card is his power, as his .511 SLG suggests. O’Neill’s .270 ISO was the fifth highest among all hitters with at least 450 plate appearances in 2024," Edinger wrote. "O’Neill would be a perfect platoon partner for Brandon Marsh, but again he will likely be a starter wherever he goes."

2024 was the first truly healthy season for O'Neill since his career year with the Cardinals in 2021 when he hit .286 with 34 home runs and 80 RBIs. After being traded to Boston last winter, O'Neill rewarded the team with 113 games played, 31 home runs, 61 RBIs, an .847 OPS, and a .241 batting average. Edinger pointed out that while O'Neill does have a high strikeout rate, it's still lower than numerous hitters within Philadelphia's existing line.

If the Phillies move on from Marsh like many have expected them to do, O'Neill could prove to be a perfect replacement. With an estimated value by Spotrac of $16 million per year, he is a good balance between not being ridiculously expensive while still being an impact addition.

Keep an eye on O'Neill for Philadelphia as free agency continues to rapidly approach.