BALTIMORE — Tyler O’Neill returned to the lineup on Saturday after overcoming a leg infection that forced the Red Sox to place him on the injured list for the third time this season.
With O’Neill and Triston Casaswho returned from the injured list on Friday after nearly four months out due to a ribcage fracture, the Sox finally have a lineup that resembles what they envisioned at the beginning of the year, albeit still without Trevor Story.
“(O’Neill) can hit the ball out of the stadium,” said Sox manager Alex Cora said before Saturday’s game against the Orioles. “Having a right-hander on the mound provides balance. So having him on the roster means a lot.”
“He’s ready, so it’ll be good for us. But I think if you look at our lineup today, it’s long and good.”
The Sox had O’Neill in the three-hole against left-handers Cade Povich Casas batted seventh, giving the Sox some length and power at the back of the batting order.
The last time O’Neill and Casas were on the field together before Saturday was April 15, the same game in which O’Neill suffered a concussion. By the time O’Neill returned to action, Casas was already on the injured list.
Hopefully the Sox lineup will stay healthy for the rest of the season.
“I love the confidence (O’Neill) brings to our lineup,” Casas said. “He just brings energy. He brings the attitude of going for every single swing, not letting go, not chasing. Is he going to get a strikeout? Yeah, that’s OK. But it’s the attitude he brings to the lineup. It’s the confidence he instills in the hitters behind him.
“He makes me a better hitter just by watching him bat or from the dugout. I love the way he takes certain shots and he’s competitive every time.”
O’Neill came into Saturday with a batting average of .268/.357/.554 and an OPS of .901. O’Neill hit 22 home runs – the second best on the team after Rafael Devers – although he only played in 80 games this season.
The Sox certainly managed to survive without O’Neill and Casas, but they lacked power, aside from Devers, a skill that is needed at this time.
Still, Casas remains impressed with how his team has been able to stay afloat and how the younger players have developed while still succeeding in the top league.
“Many of us had a lot to learn,” Casas said. “We’re a younger group with a lot of veterans, so we learned from each other and fed each other energy, experience and information.”
“It was a good combination of both. It’s just a selfless lineup. It’s just about passing the baton and making the next shot easier, kind of a man-to-be mentality.”
Yoshida will not compete against left-handers
With left-handers on the mound and the lineup back in full swing, the Sox will primarily have both catchers play against left-handers, which means Masataka YoshidaThe at-bats will probably only be against right-handers. The Sox had both catchers in the lineup, with Connor Wong Batting eighth as DH and Danny Jansen Catcher and batter fifth. Yoshida is hitting just .208 against left-handers with an OPS of .631… Rich Hills The minor league contract became official on Saturday. He will play for Worcester in Syracuse on Tuesday. Justin Slater (elbow) came out of his bullpen without incident. He will have ups and downs on Monday and hopes to begin rehab soon afterward… Liam Hendriks (elbow) is scheduled to begin his rehab assignment for Worcester on Sunday … The Sox option infielder Nick Sogard to Triple A Worcester and decided to keep Catcher Mickey Gasper on the roster. Cora said they will have three catchers so the team can have Jansen and Wong play together.
You can reach Julian McWilliams at [email protected]. Follow him @vonJulianMack.
