Tyler O’Neill Injury Update Makes Red Sox’s Shutout Loss Even Worse

Following a scary collison in the seventh inning of Boston's Monday loss to the Cleveland Guardians, Red Sox outfielder Tyler O'Neill received eight stitches and has been placed in concussion protocol.

Two of the Boston's best hitters, O'Neill and third baseman Rafael Devers, collided in short left field on a pop up off the bat of Estevan Florial. While Devers was able to secure the catch for the final third out, Red Sox Nation collectively held their breath as both players were attended to by the training staff.

Devers remained in the game, while O'Neill was replaced by David Hamilton.

O'Neill was acquired by Boston in the offseason from the St. Louis Cardinals, and has quickly earned his spot in the middle of the Sox' everyday lineup. The outfielder has been hitting .313 and is tied for the MLB lead in home runs, with seven.

Chris Cotillo, also of MassLive, later added that manager Alex Cora did not expect O'Neill to need an IL stint, while confirming that Devers has been cleared.

The post-game reports out of the Red Sox clubhouse are a mixed bag, as O'Neill's impending absence is obviously a concern, while the update on Devers brings some relief. Devers had missed the previous four games with a nagging shoulder injury.

Injuries have already hit Boston hard this season, with starting shortstop Trevor Story likely out for the year, and offseason signing Lucas Giolito was ruled out for 2024 during Spring Training.

After being shutout for the second time in four games, Boston needs all of the help they can get in their lineup. Losing O'Neill for any period of time is far from ideal.

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