Red Sox Predicted To Move On From Star Slugger Despite Breakout Season

Will Boston find a way to keep the slugger around for the foreseeable future?

Jul 7, 2020; Boston, Massachusetts, United States; A general view of empty seats at Fenway Park during the Boston Red Sox Summer Camp. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox will have some tough decisions to make this winter.

Boston has struggled since the All-Star break but there still is plenty to be excited about with the Red Sox right now. The Red Sox are loaded with young talent and should be even better next season. Injuries have significantly impacted the Red Sox's roster this season with players like Lucas Giolito, Trevor Story, and Garrett Whitlock missing extended periods.

The Red Sox will get some important pieces back ahead of the 2025 campaign and likely will be busy in free agency looking to add at least one starting pitcher and likely a boost for the lineup. One question that the club will have to address, though, is the future of outfielder Tyler O'Neill.

Boston acquired O'Neill from the St. Louis Cardinals in a trade ahead of the 2024 season. He will be a free agent at the end of the season and Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter predicted that Boston will move on from him.

"Prediction: Move on," Reuter said. "The Red Sox bought low on Tyler O'Neill during the offseason when he was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals, and he has proven to be one of the best pickups of the winter, posting a 135 OPS+ with 25 home runs and 2.4 WAR in 94 games.

"Now they would be wise to let someone else pay for that performance. The 29-year-old has only played over 100 games in a season once in his career while dealing with a wide variety of injuries, and in a market that is thin on impact bats, he should have no problem at least matching the five-year, $75 million deal that Andrew Benintendi got a few years ago."

Keep a close eye on him when free agency kicks off this winter.

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