Maple Ridge slugger Tyler O鈥橬eill will be looking to take his place in Major League Baseball鈥檚 storied history on opening day.
O鈥橬eill will have a chance to be the first player to homer on five straight opening days, as he takes the field tonight (March 28) in Seattle. His new team, the Boston Red Sox, will take on the Mariners in the first regular season game of the campaign.
Already the Garibaldi Secondary graduate has taken his place alongside a few hardball immortals who have hit four straight opening-day dingers. These include the great Yogi Berra (1955-1958) 鈥� the man credited with numerous Yogi-isms including 鈥淚t ain鈥檛 over till it鈥檚 over鈥� 鈥� another Hall of Famer in Montreal Expos great Gary Carter (1977-1980), and a third former catcher in Todd Hundley (1994-1997).
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Sarah Langs of Major League Baseball noted O鈥橬eill could be the first to five in a row.
REMINDER ENTERING TOMORROW:
鈥� Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports)
Tyler O鈥橬eill has homered in 4 straight Opening Day games, tied for the most consecutive seasons with at least 1 Opening Day HR, with:
1994-97 Todd Hundley
1977-80 Gary Carter
1955-58 Yogi Berra
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O鈥橬eill was traded to the Red Sox from the St. Louis Cardinals during the off-season. Last year he struggled through various injuries, which have held him back throughout his career. The 28-year-old has 1,464 at-bats in the Majors since 2018, and hit 78 home runs, while batting .248.
Tonight he is expected to start the game against a tough pitcher in Seattle鈥檚 veteran Luis Castillo, who strikes out a lot of batters, but also gave up plenty of home runs last season at 28 鈥� only 12 pitchers in the Majors allowed more.
Reason for optimism: O鈥橬eill has victimized Castillo before. In 35 plate appearances against Castillo, the Maple Ridge masher has hit taters twice. And he鈥檚 showing off a power stroke, having just launched one in spring training on Monday.
Tyler O'Neill
鈥� Red Sox Home Runs (@RedSox_HR)
Solo Home Run
馃尨Spring Training馃尨
Opponent: Texas Rangers
Pitcher: Grant Anderson
Date: 3/25/24
The Red Sox traded for their Canadian batsman hoping he could reproduce an outstanding 2021 season, when his powerful swing produced 34 homers and 80 RBI for St. Louis. He also won his second Gold Glove Award for great defence in the outfield that season.
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After the trade, baseball pundits predicted he could have a huge year hitting in the American League this season, and he is expected to be a regular in the middle of the Bosox batting order.
There would be a bit of irony in O鈥橬eill making opening day history against the Mariners 鈥� the team drafted and developed the young Canadian, then traded him for pitching help.
He quickly became known for being one of the most jacked players in baseball, inspired by his father Terry O鈥橬eill 鈥� a former bodybuilding, Mr. Universe competitor, and a super senior who can still be found pumping iron at Club 16 in Maple Ridge.
The Maple Ridge boy, who was drafted from the Langley Blaze Premier team, has signed a one-year deal for $5.85 million with Boston.
The Red Sox take on the Mariners tonight at 7:10 p.m.
