
Dud: Tyler O’Neill
May Stats (13 G): .204/.235/.347, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 4 R, 22 SO
Unfortunately for Tyler O’Neill and the Cardinals, May did not prove to be any better for the left fielder who was supposed to anchor the middle of the lineup again this year.
During the month of May, O’Neill’s OPS ranked 2nd to last on the club, just above Paul DeJong. If anything, May looked to be even more regression for the outfielder, as he often looked lost at the plate. It’s hard to tell if the shoulder was bothering him or if it was a mental struggle (likely both), but his stint on the IL may turn out to be a blessing for his season.
He will likely rejoin the team in early to mid June after a rehab assignment, and even if he can just recapture 60%-70% of the player he was last season, it would be a huge boost to the lineup. O’Neill spent some time on the IL early in 2021 as well, and came back to mash the rest of the year. The hope is this trip has a similar impact on O’Neill.