Could the Red Sox actually end up trading the two-time Gold Glove Award winner?
Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) is congratulated by outfielder Tyler O’Neill (17) after he caught the ball against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Tropicana Field
The Boston Red Sox will have some tough decisions to make over the next few months.
Boston has looked great recently and currently is in third place in the American League East with a 26-24 record. The Red Sox have plenty of talent on the roster and could make a run at a postseason spot — especially as it starts to get healthier.
While that is the case, if the wheels fall off and the club sells at the trade deadline, the player who is viewed as the “most likely” player to be moved is outfielder Tyler O’Neill, according to Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter.
“Despite a better-than-expected starting rotation, the Red Sox are still hovering around the .500 mark this year and facing an uphill battle to contend in the AL East race,” Reuter said. “If they do end up selling at the deadline, outfielder Tyler O’Neill and starter Nick Pivetta are the team’s top upcoming free agents, and flipping both guys for more prospect depth would be a logical approach to the deadline.
“O’Neill sports a 150 OPS+ with 11 home runs in 161 plate appearances after coming over in a buy-low trade from the St. Louis Cardinals during the offseason, and he is setting himself up for a lucrative multi-year deal in his first trip to free agency.”
The two-time Gold Glove Award winner has been great so far this season but will be a free agent at the end of the campaign. If Boston isn’t in contention for a postseason spot, a trade could make sense.
