Red Sox Slugger Could Be Traded To Phillies Amid Breakout Campaign

Boston could get a decent haul for the impactful outfielder

Scott Neville | Jun 6, 2024

May 13, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter Tyler O'Neill (17) is congratulated after hitting a three run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

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The Boston Red Sox are back where they seemingly love to be after a 9-0 blowout win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday -- exactly .500 with a 31-31 record.

If the middling season continues, expect Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to fold at the July 30 Major League Baseball trade deadline, which would include a fire sale of likely all impending free agents and possiibly a select few others.

One of the more prominent players likely to be shipped off is outfielder Tyler O'Neill, one of only a few impact outfielders expected to be available this summer. The Philadelphia Phillies reportedly will be heavily involved in that market and could be the perfect landing spot for the 28-year-old.

"Short of moving Edmundo Sosa to the outfield once Trea Turner returns, the Phillies don't have much in the way of internal help to solve their outfield hitting issues," ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote Tuesday. "They'll be all over the outfield market."

O'Neill is hitting .243 with 17 extra-base hits including 11 home runs, 18 RBIs and a .847 OPS in 42 games this season. He's striking out more than he did to open the year but his power has been steady.

Passan noted that O'Neill "would draw plenty of interest, provided he's healthy." The next day, the two-time Gold Glove winner was activated off the injured list for knee inflammation, recording two hits, driving in a run and scoring as well.

Unless Breslow wants to retain O'Neill long-term and believes he'll be able to get a deal done this winter or possibly earlier, expect the slugger to go to the highest bidder after a strong start to the 2024 season.

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SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu