The St. Louis Cardinals may officially be turning the corner.
The team has now won nine of their last 11 games and is gaining ground on the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.
Injuries have been somewhat of an issue for the team this year.
Tyler O’Neill is currently out with a back injury and Dylan Carlson is recovering from an ankle injury.
O’Neill has still yet to go out on a rehab assignment.
The Cardinals also have a bit of a logjam in the outfield, with Jordan Walker and Moises Gomez currently in the minor leagues and Juan Yepez, Alec Burleson, and Oscar Mercado competing for the fourth outfield job.
O’Neill’s return will only further complicate things.
On a local St. Louis sports radio show, President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak discussed the outfield logjam and how O’Neill fits into the team’s plans.
#STLCards President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak joined #BKandFerrario to discuss the team's current outfield mix, and how Tyler O'Neill fits into the group when he returns from the IL.
PODCAST: https://t.co/I4EQtVbmbP pic.twitter.com/gnxEmxh7Co
— 101 ESPN St. Louis (@101espn) May 19, 2023
Mozeliak stated that the most important thing to consider with the Cardinals is whether or not their current players are healthy and have the ability to stay on the field consistently.
That is something that O’Neill has struggled with in recent years.
The young outfielder hit the injured list three separate times in 2022 and already is dealing with some ailments this year.
Mozeliak also stressed the importance of performance, while also expressing hope that O’Neill can return to his 2021 form.
But with starting pitching being a glaring need and the team having a surplus of outfielders, O’Neill could find himself as the odd man out and even end up as part of a trade package.
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