The Boston Red Sox will be light one outfielder when they make their trip to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic for a showcase spring training series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Tyler O’Neill won’t accompany the Red Sox as they participate in the inaugural Dominican Republic Series due to left left calf tightness, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne and The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham.
The injury just seems to be a minor one for O’Neill, who the Red Sox acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason. The 28-year-old is expected to play Monday when the Red Sox return to Fort Myers to face the Pittsburgh Pirates.
O’Neill does have an injury history, so when he has to miss time due to an ailment, it will cause some concern. A lower back strain sidelined O’Neill for over two months last season and he also spent time on the injured list due to a right foot sprain. The two-time Gold Glove Award winner has played in just 168 games combined over the last two seasons.
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The calf tightness didn’t appear to bother O’Neill on Tuesday when he crushed a two-run home run to left field against the Rays at JetBlue Park. He finished the 7-4 Red Sox win going 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk.
O’Neill is in the middle of a position battle in the outfield due to the logjam the Red Sox have on the grass. O’Neill is competing for a starting spot along with Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu. The minor calf injury shouldn’t hurt O’Neill’s chances in the tight outfield race.
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Featured image via Kim Klement Neitzel/USA TODAY Sports Images
