Back to the St Louis Cardinals Newsfeed

Hochman: O'Neill opens competition for Cardinals' left-field spot with a mammoth homer

JUPITER, Fla. — Of Tyler O’Neill’s obliteration of a baseball Saturday, pitcher Jack Flaherty said: “Yeah, those are fun to watch.”

Manager Mike Shildt thought to himself: “A great, great swing.”

And pitcher Kwang-Hyun Kim? “ud648ub7f0.”

Yes, all of the Cardinals were mesmerized by O’Neill’s homer off the Mets’ Marcus Stroman. It was a symbolic parabola of a blast — the slugger wants to show the team he should start in left field, and in his first at-bat of spring, he drilled a ball over the wall.

The games have begun. So, let the games begin — numerous outfielders competing for Marcell Ozuna’s old job.