With their 63-55 record, the Boston Red Sox are only one game out of a Wild Card spot. If the Red Sox want to earn their spot in the postseason, having Tyler O'Neill's bat back in the lineup would certainly provide a boost.
O'Neill spent four days in the hospital with a leg infection. He has now been discharged and began baseball activity on Tuesday. O'Neill is traveling with the team ahead of their series against the Baltimore Orioles and is hopeful he can be activated off of the injured list without a rehab assignment, via Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.
After missing five straight games with an illness, the Red Sox were ultimately forced to put him on the IL. Once past his illness he then needed to overcome the leg infection. It may have taken four days, but O'Neill seems to already be past his ailments. Boston will make the final decision on when O'Neill comes off the IL. However, the outfielder is hoping that comes soon rather than later.
Acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals before the season, Tyler O'Neill has appeared in 80 games thus far in Boston. He is hitting .268 with 22 home runs and 45 RBI. Playing in a difficult AL East, the Red Sox are counting on O'Neill's bat to bring an extra punch once he returns to the lineup.
Red Sox looking for second half playoff push
While the Orioles and New York Yankees get plenty of headlines, the Red Sox have not faltered in their quest for the playoffs. If Boston is going to hit their lofty goals however, they'll need their lineup to step.
So far, the Red Sox have followed suit as they rank sixth in the league with 587 runs scored. Their .261 batting average ranks tied for third while their 147 home runs are tied for seventh-most in MLB.
O'Neill has played a major role in the home run department, as he is second on the team in long balls. Only Rafael Devers has more (25), although that isn't much of a surprise as he leads the team in batting average (.299) and RBI as well (72).
Jarren Duran and Ceddane Rafaela have contributed 58 RBI a piece and have 29 and 17 stolen bases respectively. Only David Hamilton's 30 stolen bags outpaces them. Players like Connor Wong and Rob Refsnyder have performed admirably in featured roles.
With over 20 home runs already, the Red Sox have to be please with their O'Neill pickup. But if he can lead them into the playoffs, Boston's trade will be even more grand. Both sides are hoping for a clean bill of health and a swift return to the lineup.
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