Breaking: Boston Red Sox’s star slugger signs a $ 49.5 million deal with their AL East rival, the Baltimore Orioles!

It’s not exactly surprising that Red Sox slugger, who emerged as a breakout talent last season under the guidance of baseball operations chief Craig Breslow, is leaving the team. However, it does sting for Boston that he will now be playing for one of their biggest rivals, the Baltimore Orioles.

Last season, O’Neill had a strong performance, hitting .241 with a team-high 31 home runs, marking a significant comeback after being sidelined in St. Louis before joining Boston. As the only reliable right-handed power hitter in the Red Sox lineup, he was a crucial part of their offense, with Rafael Devers close behind with 28 homers.

His exit creates a notable gap in right field, which the Red Sox aim to fill by pursuing high-profile free agent Juan Soto. While Boston has been competitive in the bidding for the Yankees star, signing Soto still seems unlikely.

If Soto doesn’t work out, the team’s next best option appears to be Dodgers star Teoscar Hernandez, though acquiring him from Los Angeles will be challenging. Retaining O’Neill was also under consideration, but that is no longer feasible with reports of his impending $ 49.5 million contract with Baltimore.

Red Sox’s Tyler O’Neill Was a Steal

The Red Sox made a savvy move by acquiring O’Neill in a December 2023 trade with St. Louis, giving up pitching prospect Victor Santos and veteran Nick Robertson. This trade greatly benefited Boston, as both Santos and Robertson struggled at Triple-A Memphis, and Robertson did not perform well in the majors this year.

O’Neill had a breakout season in 2021, hitting 34 home runs and winning a Gold Glove, but his performance declined over the last two seasons in St. Louis due to recurring injuries, notably to his back and hamstring. He played only 96 games in 2022 and 72 in 2023.

In Boston, he continued to deal with injuries, appearing in just 113 games. This situation, along with the team’s pursuit of Juan Soto, led the Red Sox to be cautious about making a long-term commitment to O’Neill. However, the deal for Soto is still up in the air.