Are Red Sox In Danger Of Losing Projected $90 Million Righty Slugger To Phillies?

A big market team could swoop in on a Red Sox power bat...

May 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Competition for free agents is always intimidating, and the Philadelphia Phillies are a team that can be particularly intimidating to compete against.

Under president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies have been aggressive in going after the specific players they want, and have landed a bumper crop of superstars. Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Zack Wheeler, Kyle Schwarber... and so on.

Dombrowski arrived with the Phillies after a stint with the Boston Red Sox, so Bostonians both inside and outside the Red Sox organization are familiar with his exploits. In the upcoming winter free agency, Dombrowski could become the Red Sox's greatest nemesis.

Red Sox impending free agent Tyler O'Neill led the team in home runs in 2024, and the Red Sox will likely make some attempt to bring him back. But Christopher Kline of FanSided recently urged the Phillies to pursue O'Neill as well to improve their lineup balance.

"He's a slugging righty who goes to town on left-handed pitching, the ideal counterweight in an outfield that will still feature Brandon Marsh in 2025," Kline said. "The Red Sox presumably want him back, but O'Neill should fall within the Phillies' price range — even if Dombrowski is shying away from his more aggressive tendencies."

O'Neill, 29, had his healthiest and most productive season since his breakout 2021 campaign, hitting 31 home runs and posting a strong .847 OPS in 113 games. His home runs tended to come in bunches, as he led the Red Sox with seven multi-homer games.

The Red Sox have their own issues against left-handed pitching, as the roster currently is over-reliant on lefty bats. Losing O'Neill could exacerbate the situation, but seeing as the outfielder is currently projected for a five-year, $90 million contract by Spotrac, Boston could be hard-pressed to pay his price tag when they already have a loaded outfield.

It may have only been one solid year, but it would be odd to have to face O'Neill next season after all e gave the Red Sox in 2024. At the very least, seeing him jump to the National League would hurt just a tad less than seeing him in another American League East team's uniform.

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