6 possible trade destinations for Cardinals Tyler O'Neill

St. Louis Cardinals' outfielder Tyler O'Neill has been a topic of conversation for many years now. The former MVP candidate has fallen mightily since 2021 when he had a slash line of .286/.352/.560 for an OPS+ of 148. He also won a Gold Glove that year, only bolstering his MVP case. In 2022 and 2023, O'Neill slashed .229/.310/.397 for an OPS+ of just 97 in only 572 at-bats. O'Neill is arbitration eligible and could be tendered a contract today as the deadline is this evening.

O'Neill's strikeout rate decreased and his walk rate increased since 2021, but his hard-hit rate is where he primarily saw a difference. It plummeted from 52.2% to 43.3% in both 2022 and 2023. Defensively, Tyler hasn't taken a step back. According to Outs Above Average, he has been a positive defender in left field since his rookie season. Since 2021, O'Neill has accumulated 11 Defensive Runs Saved. He has a strong arm and decent range, perfect for a corner outfield spot.

Due to the weak free agent market for position players, the trade market for position players may heat up during the Hot Stove. The Cardinals, a team with plenty of position player depth, could take advantage of teams looking to upgrade their offense. If John Mozeliak finds a team that has a glut of pitching talent but a dearth of offensive firepower, he may have found a perfect partner for Tyler O'Neill.

There are many teams that have a need for an outfield power bat. The bonus with O'Neill is his Gold Glove-caliber defense. The New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, and the San Francisco Giants could all use an upgrade in the outfield. Each of these teams seems poised to contend for at least their divisions next season (excluding possibly the Detroit Tigers, but you never know with the American League Central), and they could all use an upgrade in the corner outfield.

Here are six teams who would benefit by trading for Tyler O'Neill and what they could provide the Cardinals in exchange.

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees finished in fourth place in a tough American League East in 2023 with a record of 82-80. Their season ended up being as big of a disappointment as the Cardinals, Mets, and Padres due to the high expectations for the team after re-signing Aaron Judge and signing Carlos Rodon last offseason.

The Yankees have been rumored to be interested in Dylan Carlson since the Trade Deadline in August, but nothing came to fruition at that time. Those conversations and rumors have been sparked back up again this offseason. The Yankees are in need of a competent outfielder to be paired with Aaron Judge, especially after Jasson Dominguez's injury. While the Pinstripes would prefer a center fielder with a decent offensive ceiling, they would happily settle for a power-hitting, Gold-Glove-wielding left fielder. Tyler O'Neill fits that bill.

The Yankees had the lowest bWAR total among all teams in 2023 for left fielders at -3.4 bWAR. Tyler O'Neill, should he tap into his high exit velocities of past years and maintain his increased walk rate and decreased strikeout rate, would be a huge upgrade for a team desperate for some production out of their left field position.

In exchange, the Yankees have ample arms that would be enticing to the Cardinals. Clayton Beeter, Clarke Schmidt, Drew Thorpe, and Will Warren are all top prospects who would fit well into the Cardinals' rotation either in 2024 or the very near future. Additionally, the Yankees could sell low on a player like Nestor Cortes Jr. St. Louis could try and "fix" his career-high walk rate from last year. He had some health concerns last year, but those seem to have gone by the wayside.

The Yankees could beef up the weakest position they had last year while the Cardinals could improve their starting rotation with a trade of Tyler O'Neill this offseason.

Cleveland Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians are known as a pitching powerhouse among teams in baseball. They had a 76-86 record in 2023, good for third place in the American League Central. They had strong pitching performances, but their offense was paltry. They had the 29th-best slugging percentage as a team (.381). Steven Kwan is their incumbent left fielder, and he performed well last year, but Cleveland's right fielders had a -1.8 bWAR total in 2023.

They are desperate for some potent offense. The Guardians acquired a power-hitting first baseman at the trade deadline in Kyle Manzardo this past year, but one player alone won't cut it. They need more power output from at least one other position. Tyler O'Neill could provide that for the Guardians. O'Neill has legitimate 30-home run power and a Gold Glove to go along with it. He would fit well in the middle of the Guardians lineup around Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor. His right-handed bat would provide balance to a lineup that is very left-handed heavy.

Unlike the Diamondbacks, the Guardians have pitching in spades. Shane Bieber is rumored to be on the trade market, and with some additional pieces, St. Louis could even pry Logan Allen away from Cleveland. Tyler O'Neill by himself may be sufficient to net Shane Bieber due to Bieber's expiring contract, his injury history, and his expensive tab through arbitration this year.

O'Neill would provide an immediate boost to an anemic offense, and Shane Bieber would be a strong depth pitcher for the Cardinals' rotation. Bieber could also have a throwback season and be a Cy Young candidate in 2024. These two teams appear to be a perfect match for a trade this offseason surrounding Tyler O'Neill and Shane Bieber.

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are an interesting team for 2024. They weren't supposed to vie for the American League Central title this past season, but they somehow found themselves in second place to the Minnesota Twins. The Twins have been rumored to be cutting payroll next year, so the Tigers could make some shrewd moves this offseason to catapult themselves into the division title conversation.

The Tigers finished 28th in slugging percentage last year (.382), had a -1.1 bWAR total from their left fielders, and had a -8 Outs Above Average total as a team (-2 in left field). They could use some serious improvements in left field both offensively and defensively. Tyler O'Neill would represent an improvement on their incumbent outfielders.

Detroit was in a rebuild during the late 2010s. Prospects such as Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, and Matt Manning were all on the rise, and Detroit appeared to be set up well for many playoff runs at the turn of the decade. Injuries, however, have plagued many of these players, thus limiting their abilities to reach their true potential. That script appeared to be flipped last year, as many of those players reached the heralded 500 plate appearances or 100 innings.

Detroit's offense could still use a boost, and they have plenty of arms to deal from St. Louis. Should the Cardinals target a high-end pitcher such as Tarik Skubal, a prospect would have to be included with O'Neill. A player such as Casey Mize could be had at a lower price due to his history of injuries and underperformance. The Cardinals could also dip into the prospect pool, as Detroit has plenty of high-end pitching prospects like Jackson Jobe, Ty Madden, and Wilmer Flores.

Houston Astros

The perennial juggernaut Astros experienced an earlier-than-expected exit from the 2023 playoffs. They won the American League Central division by a hair over the Rangers, but they didn't make it to the World Series for the first time in two years. They are looking to continue to build a championship-level team that can have playoff success.

On the surface, it may not appear as though the Astros need outfield help. They have Chaz McCormick in center field and Kyle Tucker in left field. Their defense was in the top 10 in left field according to Outs Above Average, and they had the 5th-best bWAR total for left fielders in all of baseball (1.3 bWAR); however, Jake Meyers and Corey Julks are not household names, and the Astros could use a boost compared to either of those players.

Tyler O'Neill would provide the potential for power in the heart of their lineup, and he would slot in just behind Yainer Diaz. In the 6th or 7th spot in the lineup, O'Neill would lengthen an already potent batting order. His .458 career slugging percentage would place him in the top-5 of the Astros lineup for that statistic.

In exchange, the Cardinals can ask for a variety of players. Houston traded for Justin Verlander last year, only lengthening their rotation. The Astros also have Framber Valdez (free agent after 2025) and Christian Javier (inked a 5-year, $64 million extension that expires after 2027) who could be enticing pitchers for the Cardinals. In their prospect ranks, the Astros could offer Spencer Arrighetti or Colton Gordon. Their farm system is a little depleted, so the Cardinals wouldn't have to give up much in return for either of these players.

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants have been searching for a superstar for the last two offseasons. They missed on Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa. They instead filled their outfield with Joc Pederson and Michael Conforto. The Giants missed the playoffs for the second year in a row with a record of 79-83, but all signs point to them looking to be contenders again next year.

With a large budget and a determination to win, the Giants will be looking to add wherever there is a need. Their left fielders as a whole last year had a -2.0 bWAR total and ranked 27th overall with a slugging percentage of .383. Defensively, Giants left fielders had accumulated -10 Outs Above Average. Suffice it to say, San Fransisco needs help out in left field.

Tyler O'Neill would give the Giants an opportunity to have a deeper lineup with more power. His slugging potential and home run capabilities would slot in very nicely in the Giants lineup. While O'Neill wouldn't (and shouldn't) be the Giants' most fearful weapon offensively, he would make pitchers be more careful on the mound. Michael Conforto played primarily in left field, but Mike Yastrzemski is aging, and Luis Matos could use a more athletic fielder to help him in his rookie season next year. O'Neill's arm strength would help Matos feel more comfortable roaming Oracle Park.

In return, the Cardinals could ask for any of the Giants' strong pitching prospects. Kyle Harrison (#20 in all of baseball) is probably not achievable, but Carson Whisenhunt (#70) could be had for O'Neill and another prospect the Cardinals have. The lefty out of East Carolina has plenty of swing-and-miss stuff that would be attractive to the Cardinals. St. Louis could also ask about Ross Stripling or Anthony DeScalfani, hoping for a rebound year from either pitcher.