Red Sox could reportedly trade ex-MVP candidate at deadline

Aug 23, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Hats and gloves from the Boston Red Sox team near the edge of the dugout before the game against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox may be looking to cash out on one of their top hitters this season.

In a column Friday about likely MLB trade candidates ahead of the July 30 deadline, Jon Heyman of the New York Post gave Red Sox outfielder Tyler O’Neill a “good” chance of being traded. While Heyman noted that the Red Sox are only on the buy-sell fringe at the moment, he still put O’Neill in the category of having a “more than 50 percent” chance of being dealt.

O’Neill, still only 28, is having an excellent 2024 campaign in Boston, his first with the team. Though a knee injury and a concussion sidetracked him after a very hot start, O’Neill ranks second on the team to only Rafael Devers in homers (11), slugging percentage (.503), and OPS (.859). Prior to joining the Red Sox, O’Neill was a two-time Gold Glover on the St. Louis Cardinals. He also finished eighth in NL MVP voting during the 2021 season with his 34 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases.

The Red Sox are 32-31 this season, which has them a distant third in the AL East but just 1.5 games back of a Wild Card spot. While they still have over a month-and-a-half to figure out what direction to go in at the trade deadline, it sounds like O’Neill, who is in the final season of his contract, is a very real trade candidate (though it may not be popular with some of their players).