Boston Red Sox slugger and outfielder Tyler O’Neill has just had his qualifying offer released, and it is quite a bit of money. According to Kiley McDaniel, the offer for 2025 will be $20.25 million dollars.
This season, O’Neill hit .241/.336/.511/.847 with 31 homers and 18 doubles. He was the team leader in homers as well.
O’Neill could be the right-handed slugger the team needs, but he needs to bring his average up. If he could consistently hit .270, he’d be worth the money.
To pay him a little over $20 million for his numbers is a little far-stretched, as someone like Teoscar Hernandez, who has proven to be as good as or even a bit better than O’Neill, would be a better fit for the money.
Fans wouldn’t mind if O’Neill walked and the Sox acquired Hernandez in free agency, so that is another option if the team doesn’t pick up his offer.
Either way, if the Sox do pick up the offer, it wouldn’t hurt to look for another right-handed bat. If they don’t, Hernandez would be a great pickup.
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