As the last Red Sox season wrapped up, Tyler O’Neill revealed there was “mutual interest” between him and Boston to maintain their relationship beyond 2024.
But as it turned out, the veteran slugger wasn’t very high on the club’s offseason priority list.
Unlike Nick Pivetta, O’Neill did not receive a qualifying offer from the Red Sox last month. The 29-year-old instead was given a one-way ticket to the open market, and his free agency reportedly ended Saturday night when he agreed to a three-year, $49.5 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles.
Initial reports about O’Neill’s reported pact with the O’s did not shed light on other offers fielded by the two-time Gold Glove Award winner. But that group of suitors did not include the Red Sox, who never made an offer to O’Neill before he took his talents to Baltimore, per MassLive’s Sean McAdam.
Boston’s reported lack of serious negotiations with O’Neill probably shouldn’t be viewed as a slight of the seven-year veteran. By all accounts, the Red Sox are focusing their attention on some of the most coveted players in free agency, including Juan Soto and Max Fried. Craig Breslow and company also might be kicking around the idea of swinging a blockbuster trade.
O’Neill, who led the Red Sox in home runs last season, will be missed in Boston. But his exit probably won’t prove to be too troubling if the club lands another big bat or two this winter.
