Former Red Sox $49.5 Million Slugger Seen As ‘Potential Solution’ For Mets

Will the two-time Gold Glover stay put in Baltimore?

Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

An ex-Boston Red Sox outfielder might soon become an important trade target for the New York Mets.

The Mets were 9-4 entering Saturday and have to be happy about how the Juan Soto Era has begun.

That being said, if New York wants to compete for a World Series in 2025, it probably needs to improve its outfield, particularly in center field.

This is something that Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller wrote about on Thursday while listing a former Red Sox outfielder as a potential target for the Mets.

“The Mets' center field situation is every bit as problematic as we feared it might be,” Miller wrote.

“Potential Solutions: Luis Robert Jr., Mike Yastrzemski, Tyler O'Neill.”

The 29-year-old O’Neill signed a three-year, $49.5 million deal with the Orioles this past offseason (via Spotrac). The contract includes a player opt-out for 2026.

O’Neill has been productive for Baltimore so far in 2025. He’s slashing .316/.386/.526 with one home run and seven RBI.

O’Neill is a carer .248 hitter with an OPS of .794 to go along with 110 home runs, 285 RBI, and 44 stolen bases. He also won two Gold Gloves (2020, 2021) playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.

You would think the Orioles would be hesitant to move on from a player with so much value, but who knows where Baltimore will lie in the standings in a couple of months? The American League East is shaping up to be hyper-competitive, and if the Orioles find themselves on the outside looking in, they might shift into sell mode before July and start taking calls from potential O’Neill suitors like the Mets.

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