Red Sox Predicted To Lose Home Run Leader Due To 'Frugal Spending'

Do the Sox even want their top slugger back in 2025?

Feb 18, 2019; Lee County, FL, USA; A general view of a Boston Red Sox helmet as Boston Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. (19) walks on the field during a spring training workout at Jet Blue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox may be eliminated from playoff contention, but they had some bright spots in 2024.

The Red Sox offense was better than many expected this season, ranking in the top 10 in Major League Baseball in scoring, home runs, and OPS. And one of their key contributors came to town because his old team simply didn't want him anymore.

Tyler O'Neill, who the Red Sox acquired via trade from the St. Louis Cardinals for pitchers Nick Robertson and Victor Santos, has been a pleasant surprise this season. Despite some injuries and inconsistency, O'Neill leads Boston with 31 home runs and has a more-than-respectable .847 OPS.

O'Neill's bat kept the Red Sox afloat at times in 2024. But even with his outstanding production, there seems to be a growing sentiment that the Canadian slugger's stint in Boston will only last one year.

On Thursday, Devon Platana of Fansided predicted that O'Neill will walk in free agency, with the Red Sox presumably unwilling to spend top dollar to keep him.

"O'Neill will certainly garner attention as a free agent this offseason. World Series contenders would love to add a talented slugger who's hit 30-plus HRs in two of the last four seasons and even finished eighth in the 2021 NL MVP race," Platana said.

"Could the Red Sox keep O'Neill? Certainly, however, that seems unlikely given the team's frugal spending. Boston also has a fairly talented outfield as it stands and letting O'Neill walk would make the situation less crowded."

The O'Neill decision is a tricky one. On one hand, there are legitimate reasons to be worried about bringing the 28-year-old back, given his lengthy injury history, deteriorating defense, and high strikeout rate. On the other, 30-homer bats don't grow on trees, and the Red Sox desperately need right-handed pop.

But if the primary motivation for not re-signing O'Neill is money, that's beyond the pale, even for the modern-day Red Sox. You can't expect to contend for a division title against a team that has Juan Soto money if you don't even have enough bankroll for Tyler O'Neill.

It will be prudent to wait to judge the Red Sox's offseason until we see it play out in full. But whether or not they make an earnest pursuit of O'Neill could be an early barometer of whether or not Boston is actually willing to mix it up with the big dogs this winter.

More MLB: Red Sox Rookie Star Might Be Traded To Make Room For Top Prospect, Per Insider