The Boston Red Sox have officially placed outfielder Tyler O’Neill on the 7-day injured list, effective retroactively from April 16, according to the team’s announcement on Thursday afternoon.
O’Neill sustained a concussion during Monday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians, following a collision with third baseman Rafael Devers, resulting in a tense moment that affected both players. While Devers remained in the game, O’Neill had to exit and did not return. He underwent treatment for eight stitches on the bridge of his nose and was subsequently entered into the league’s concussion protocol.
The 28-year-old power hitter was absent from the Red Sox lineup on Tuesday and Wednesday, and he is set to miss at least the next four games. O’Neill’s earliest possible return date is April 23, coinciding with the start of a road series against the Guardians.
During O’Neill’s absence, the Red Sox have reinstated outfielder Rob Refsnyder from the 10-day injured list to fill the gap in their roster.
O’Neill had been a standout performer in an otherwise lackluster start to the 2024 season for the Red Sox. He currently leads the American League with a .750 slugging percentage and a 1.209 OPS, boasting a batting average of .313 along with seven home runs, eight RBIs, and 11 walks.
Boston made a shrewd acquisition of O’Neill during the previous offseason, obtaining him in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals in December.
Having earned Gold Glove Awards in 2020 and 2021, O’Neill showcased his offensive prowess in 2021 with a batting average of .286, 34 home runs, 80 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, and a .912 OPS, culminating in an eighth-place finish in NL MVP voting that year.
However, his performance dipped over the next two seasons, with O’Neill batting .229 and recording a .707 OPS. Despite managing 23 home runs, 79 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases across 168 games between 2022 and 2023, injuries sidelined him for a significant portion of each season.
Now, O’Neill finds himself sidelined once more, albeit for a shorter duration of just one week.
