MLB insider links Cardinals' Tyler O'Neill to this contender in a deadline swap

I'm beginning to think the "tale as old as time" may actually be that the St. Louis Cardinals are ready to move on from outfielder Tyler O'Neill. One MLB Insider thinks he has found the ideal fit for a deal.

In a recent story in the New York Post, MLB Insider Jon Heyman linked O'Neill to the New York Yankees due to the Cardinals' outfield glut and the Yankees' need for a left fielder. I actually suggested the Yankees as a fit for O'Neill previously as well and see this being a potential fit for both sides.

What would a Tyler O'Neill to the Yankees trade look like?

While looking into this story, I noticed Adam Weinrib on FanSided's affiliate "Yanks Go Yard" caught wind of this Heyman comment as well, and they've also been seeing a potential fit with O'Neill for awhile now too.

One idea that Weinrib mentioned that I find intriguing is a swap with Luis Severino. He suggested a top-10 prospect from the Cardinals would have to be involved too, but with Severino in the final year of his deal and O'Neill having another year of control, I think a swap is more realistic.

Severino might as well be the Tyler O'Neill of starting pitchers, except with quite a bit more track record than O'Neill has. From 2017-2018, Severino averaged 192 innings pitched with a 3.18 ERA and 10.5 SO/9. He's since struggled with injuries, throwing just 18 innings from 2019-2021. 2022 was a mixed bag for the 29-year-old, as he went 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA, but only pitched 102 innings.

Severino has had friction with the Yankees' front office for a while, so a change of scenery is probably in the cards for Severino. Why not swap with another change-of-scenery guy in O'Neill?

If the Cardinals are not in the position to add a rental like Severino at the deadline, then a package of some Yankees prospects could do the trick. New York has seven right-handed starting pitchers ranked between number seven and number fifteen in their farm system. Could two of Will Warren, Richard Fitts, Yoendrys Gomez, Randy Vasquez, Clayton Beeter, Luis Gil, or Trystan Vrieling get a deal done?

If the Yankees are not all that interested in O'Neill, some other teams I'd keep an eye on include the Guardians, Marlins, Mets, Rangers, and Blue Jays.

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