Royals reportedly interested in Cardinals outfielder Tyler O’Neill

Would O’Neill be an upgrade to the outfield?

The Royals are reportedly interested in trading for Cardinals outfielder Tyler O’Neill, according to Jeff Jones, a Cardinals beat writer for the Belleview News.

The 28-year-old outfielder is a former Gold Glover who was a 6 WAR player as recently as 2021 when he hit .286/.352/.560 with a career-high 34 home runs, finishing eighth in MVP voting. But his hitting has fallen off drastically the last two years, and he hit .231/.312/.403 with nine home runs in 72 games this season.

O’Neill is a left fielder who can play a little center, and while he may not be a Gold Glover anymore, he is still a solid defender with a great arm and good sprint speed. O’Neill has improved his walk rate in recent year, but can also strike out a lot. He is a free agent at the end of next season, and is projected to make $5.5 million in his final year of arbitration.

The Cardinals currently have a glut of outfielders, and club president John Mozeliak has been blunt about O’Neill being on the trading block as the odd man out. Getting a player who is only under club control for one more season may not mean much in the long-term for the Royals, but he may be a good “buy low” candidate with the hope of flipping him mid-season if he returns to his 2021 form, and he could help give some protection to the young hitters in the lineup while improving the outfield defense.