Red Sox Projected $90 Million Slugger Predicted To Win Surprising Award By Insider

Could the Sox take home some unexpected hardware in 2024?

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 made some shrewd trades before the 2024 season, and none have worked out better than the one they made with the St. Louis Cardinals.

On Dec. 8, the Red Sox sent pitchers Nick Robertson and Victor Santos to the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder Tyler O'Neill. O'Neill had a track record of success at the big-league level but with too many outfielders on their roster, the Cardinals felt they had to cut him loose headed into a contract year.

Since then, O'Neill has been one of the catalysts of the Red Sox's offense, leading the team in home runs and coming through in several clutch situations. The trade appears to have paid off, and O'Neill also may be in line for some surprise recognition if an insider's recent prediction proves correct.

On Thursday, Jim Bowden of The Athletic picked O'Neill to win the American League's Comeback Player of the Year award after bouncing back from injury-plagued seasons in 2022 and 2023.

"O’Neill was coming off two subpar seasons in St. Louis — hitting .228 with 14 homers in 96 games in 2022 and .231 with nine home runs in 72 games in 2023 — but he made a strong comeback this year in Boston despite suffering some injuries. He’s slashed .249/.343/.532 with 18 doubles, 31 home runs and 61 RBIs over 107 games, his best season since 2021 when he finished eighth in the NL MVP voting."

O'Neill would be the fourth Red Sox player to win Comeback Player of the Year honors since the award's inception in 2005. The previous three were David Price (2018), Rick Porcello (2016), and Jacoby Ellsbury (2011).

On the season, O'Neill has 31 home runs, an .875 OPS, 2.7 wins above replacement. He's dealt with another onslaught of injuries, including three brief stints on the injured list, but has still managed to play in 107 games, his highest total since 2021.

Whether the Red Sox will reunite with O'Neill in 2025 is one of the more difficult questions currently facing the front office. He is projected to earn an extension in the neighborhood of $90 million, per Spotrac. He also said publicly on Wednesday that he hopes the Red Sox make him an offer to stay.

With a surplus of outfield talent, the Red Sox may be inclined to move on, but O'Neill's performance is making that much more difficult. Winning a postseason award would be just another tool at his disposal to drive up his price tag.

More MLB: Red Sox's Tyler O'Neill Hints At Which Team He Will Play For Next Season