Last week, Craig Breslow stated that acquiring a right-handed bat will be a top priority for the Red Sox in the upcoming MLB offseason.
Just days later, Boston’s chief baseball officer hinted that they might consider an internal option to fulfill that need.
At the Red Sox’s end-of-season press conference on Monday at Fenway Park, Breslow confirmed that the team plans to reach out to impending free agent Tyler O’Neill.
“Replacing that kind of production in the middle of the lineup, whether it’s Tyler or someone else, will be a priority,” Breslow said to reporters, according to MassLive. “We’ll have to see how this unfolds, but I expect we’ll be in touch.
He’s earned his shot at free agency. A right-handed power hitter who can hit 30 home runs and change a game with one swing is certainly an asset we desire.”
On Sunday, O’Neill disclosed that he had previously had a conversation with Breslow, stating that there was “mutual interest” on a new contract between the Red Sox and the veteran slugger in Boston. O’Neill led the team in home runs (31) while missing 49 games, so he clearly seemed at ease in his debut season at Fenway Park.
It remains to be seen if O’Neill and the Red Sox work out a new deal, but it doesn’t seem like the 29-year-old is leaving.
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