ST. LOUIS — On Friday, Alex Cora said the Red Sox’ weekend series should be called “The T.O” Show because of how much attention Tyler O’Neill was receiving in his return to Busch Stadium. Two days later, O’Neill delivered ina big way on the field he used to call home.
O’Neill’s first-inning solo homer off lefty Matthew Liberatore opened the floodgates for a struggling Red Sox offense that broke out in an 11-3 rout over the Cardinals in the finale of a three-game series. By sending a 3-0 fastball 439 feet into the left-field bleachers, O’Neill logged his 40th career homer in St. Louis. It was his first in a visitor’s uniform.
“It was awesome,” O’Neill said. “Just like I remember it.”
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O’Neill played 477 games for the Cardinals during an up-and-down, injury-plagued tenure that lasted parts of six seasons and and ended when St. Louis shipped him to the Red Sox in a December trade for two relievers. There were highs, like a 2021 season that saw O’Neill receive MVP votes, and lows such a testy arbitration hearing in 2022 and public bickering with manager Oli Marmol over a perceived lack of hustle last April. O’Neill didn’t know what to expect in his return to eastern Missouri. But a prolonged ovation from Cardinals fans before his first at-bat in Friday’s series opener set the tone for a memorable three days.
“Very special weekend for me,” O’Neill said. “I’ve had this series circled on the calendar for a little while. Friday was really special for me. Fans greeted me with a lot of positivity. That was an awesome ovation that I got.”
O’Neill came to St. Louis hitting just .152 with one homer while striking out 25 times in 53 appearances in his first 13 May games. But he got hits in each of Boston’s two losses to start the series and broke out Sunday, when he reached base four times (homer, single, two walks) and scored three times. The Red Sox hope the mini-breakout can help O’Neill get back to the pace he showed in April, when he hit .320 with nine homers in 21 games.
“The whole weekend, a lot of energy,” Cora said. “He brings a lot of energy every day. He was scuffling a little bit and I think some quote-unquote home cooking at the house let him breathe. Seeing some familiar faces helped him through the weekend and hopefully now he can maintain that next week.
“The homer is the homer but the walks are good. He was able to lay off some pitches. It was a good day for him.”
O’Neill, who along with his wife, Stephanie, and daughter, Audrie, still has a residence in St. Louis, got to sleep in his own bed for a few nights and see a lot of familiar faces at the ballpark. It was an experience he won’t soon forget — but one he’s partly glad is now in the past.
“It’s good to get by this one, for sure,” O’Neill said. “I’ve been thinking about it for a little while, just wondering how it was all going to feel. I didn’t know what I was going to be walking into. I’m really glad it happened. I wish we won the series but the boys fought hard this weekend and it was good to come away with a win on Sunday.”
