Red Sox $40 Million Home Run Leader Predicted To Ditch Boston In Favor Of Royals
The Kansas City Royals have proven that they're still working hard to improve the roster this winter. But the job is not yet finished.
The Royals locked in starting pitcher Michael Wacha to an extension, shoring up their rotation, then dealt from their starting pitching depth to land a new potential leadoff hitter in Jonathan India. But they're still missing any kind of power threat in their outfield, which is the last piece of the puzzle.
No Royals outfielder topped 20 home runs in 2024, and it's not as though any of the regular starters were making up for that with remarkable on-base skills. Adding one more power bat behind Bobby Witt Jr. is paramount to the Royals having a more well-rounded offense, and the outfield is the most logical place to insert one.
Fortunately, there's on free agent in this winter's class that looks like the perfect solution on multiple fronts.
Tyler O'Neill, who led the Boston Red Sox in home runs in 2024, is now a free agent, and projects to be a relatively inexpensive one at that. Cale Ahearn of FOX 43 recently predicted that O'Neill would sign a three-year, $40 million contract to move to Kansas City.
"The Royals had one of the worst hitting outfields in all of MLB in 2024," Ahearn said. "O'Neill hit 31 HR's for Boston last season, and could be the power bat Kansas City is looking to add in the middle of their order."
"Additionally, he shouldn't break the bank, making him a fit for a mid-market team like the Royals."
O'Neill, who is still only 29, has struggled through injuries for several seasons, as his 113 games played in 2024 was his highest total since 2021, when he finished eighth in Most Valuable Player voting. He also has drastic lefty-righty splits and a high strikeout rate. But what he can certainly do is hit the ball hard.
That's all the Royals lack at this point. They don't need an aircraft carrier--they already have one in Witt. O'Neill could be the lineup protection for Witt who crushes a three-run bomb to win an extra game from time to time. As long as he stays on the field, he's precisely what KC is missing.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org