Red Sox add O’Neill, send 2 pitchers to Cardinals
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Jeff Passan, ESPN
The Red Sox acquired outfielder Tyler O’Neill from the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday, dealing for the powerful right-handed hitter whose upside has been curtailed by injuries but is expected to slot into Boston’s everyday lineup.
The Cardinals, who received right-handed reliever Nick Robertson and minor league right-handed starter Victor Santos in the deal, had put O’Neill on the trade market this winter and expected to move him before the new year.
While the 28-year-old’s breakout season two years ago looked to cement his place as a core member of the Cardinals going forward, the injuries as well as a public fight with St. Louis manager Oli Marmol paved the way for his exit.
When healthy, the two-time Gold Glove winner is an All-Star-caliber player. In 2021, he finished eighth in National League MVP voting, hitting .286/.352/.560 with 34 home runs and 80 RBIs. Over the past two seasons, he has played in 168 games, slashing .229/.310/.397 with 23 home runs and 79 RBIs while playing left field and center field.
In the first week of the 2023 season, Marmol called O’Neill’s effort on a play in which he was thrown out at home by eventual NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. “unacceptable.” O’Neill expressed frustration that Marmol had called him out in the media, and the Cardinals’ poor start foretold a 71-91 season, their worst in more than a quarter century.
O’Neill, who is scheduled to make between $5 million and $6 million in arbitration this season and will reach free agency after 2024, is the latest acquisition by new Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. In his first trade, he received right-handed reliever Isaiah Campbell from the Seattle Mariners for third baseman Luis Urias. His biggest deal sent outfielder Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees for a trio of right-handed pitchers: reliever Greg Weissert, who should join Boston’s bullpen this season, prospect Richard Fitts and the 6-foot-8 Nicholas Judice.
The Cardinals’ outfield surplus — with Lars Nootbaar in left field, Tommy Edman in center, Jordan Walker in right, Dylan Carlson capable of playing all three and Alec Burleson — allowed St. Louis to target much-needed pitching depth.
Robertson, a hulking right-hander, debuted with the Los Angeles Dodgers this year before he was traded to the Red Sox in July as part of the Kiké Hernández deal. Robertson, 25, went 0-1 with a 6.04 ERA in 22.1 innings and pairs a 95 mph fastball with a changeup and a slider.
Santos, 23, is a control artist with a mediocre fastball and an intriguing split-fingered fastball. He underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the 2023 season. The previous year, between Double-A and Triple-A, he went 10-12 with a 4.97 ERA in 145 innings, with 126 strikeouts, 34 walks and 23 home runs allowed.
ST. LOUIS — Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras was not in the lineup Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies a day after he was hit in the foot by a pitch and broke his bat in frustration.
Contreras, listed as day-to-day with a right foot contusion, was hit by Rockies starter Kyle Freeland‘s sweeper in the fourth inning. He then slammed his bat into the dirt and snapped it over his knee.
As he walked toward first base, the 33-year-old threw the two pieces of the broken bat toward the Cardinals’ dugout.
He remained in the game until the sixth inning, when he was replaced by Nolan Gorman.
The Cardinals said X-rays did not reveal any structural damage in Contreras’ foot.
Contreras has been hit by a National League-leading 18 pitches this season, trailing only Randy Arozarena and Ty France.
Contreras leads the Cardinals with 16 home runs and 65 RBIs.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers put struggling slugger Adolis García on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left ankle and activated outfielder Evan Carter.
Texas, which is chasing an American League wild-card berth, made the moves their series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Another outfielder, Wyatt Langford, was held out of the lineup because of forearm stiffness, but manager Bruce Bochy said he could be available to pinch-hit.
García is hitting .224 with 16 homers and 64 RBIs in 116 games. He hit .176 (6 for 34) during the nine-game homestand that ended with Wednesday’s game.
Carter, who turns 23 later this month, missed 10 games because of back spasms. He was in a 4-for-34 slump when he was placed on the IL on Aug. 2. He hit .238 with four homers and 21 RBIs in 55 games before then.
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