The Boston Red Sox roster figures to undergo massive changes this winter.
Besides Boston’s pitching rotation and bullpen in need of a complete makeover, the Red Sox also have overcrowded middle infield depth to sort through.
Then there’s the outfield, which also presents difficult personnel questions for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.
Will superstar prospect Roman Anthony be in the lineup on opening day? Recent performance suggests Anthony will be, which could push a good player like Tyler O’Neill out of the picture in Boston.
O’Neill is a free agent after the season, and FanSided’s Katie Manganelli recently made the deduction that he won’t be retiring to the Red Sox in 205.
“Tyler O’Neill is an impending free agent and he’ll be highly coveted in a market low on impact bats,” Manganelli said.
“The outfielder posted a rebound season in Boston and had better success at the plate than he’s had since 2021.”
“Despite his offensive turnaround, it’s unlikely the Red Sox will keep O’Neill around for another season. Their outfield has been packed all year and O’Neill had to split his playing time with Rob Refsnyder and Wilyer Abreu while Masataka Yoshida held the designated hitter spot every day.”
“Boston also expects Roman Anthony to make it to the big leagues next year, and as one of the organization’s top prospects, he shouldn’t have to compete for playing time.”
“O’Neill could fetch a nice contract with another team after his rebound campaign with the Sox. He’s slashing .255/.347/.516 with a .863 OPS, 16 doubles, 25 homers and 50 RBI in 95 games.”
Outside of a few short stretches on the IL, O’Neill has performed well as a member of the Red Sox. He can leave Boston knowing he produced as expected and made a positive impact on winning.
