The Boston Red Sox didn't make any substantial additions during the MLB offseason despite having plenty of roster weaknesses.
One addition they did make that has the ability to pay dividends is Tyler O'Neill. The veteran outfielder spent his first six MLB seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, including an impressive 2021 campaign during which he hit .286 with 34 home runs, 80 RBI and finished eighth in National League MVP voting.
More Red Sox coverage
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Baseball is full of weird stats and records, and O'Neill is at the center of one that involves Opening Day feats.
He has hit a home run on Opening Day in four consecutive years. It's tied for the longest such streak in MLB history, and if he homers Thursday night when the Red Sox open their 2024 season against the Mariners in Seattle, he'll set a new record.
The only player with more Opening Day home runs than O'Neill over the last 10 years is New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton.
Despite hitting several Opening Day homers, O'Neill has typically been a slow starter with a lifetime batting average of just .228 with 87 strikeouts in March and April combined.
The Red Sox's only chance of competing for a playoff spot this year is probably with a red-hot offense, so it would be pretty helpful if O'Neill started strong and helped set the tone for Alex Cora's ballclub.