O'Neill went 1-for-4 with a walk and a two-run home run in Thursday's loss to the Blue Jays.

EDGE Analysis

With his two-run shot off Alek Manoah in the third inning, O'Neill has now homered on four consecutive Opening Days, tying the major-league record per Sarah Langs of MLB.com. O'Neill was starting in center field -- making way for rookie Jordan Walker -- and batting sixth in the order. Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar occupied the top two spots in the starting lineup ahead of the team's two MVP finalists from a year ago.

O'Neill is starting in center field and batting sixth in the Cardinals' season opener Thursday against the Blue Jays.

EDGE Analysis

Dylan Carlson is on the bench for this one, and he might have to fight his way back into a regular role with the Cardinals opting to carry top outfield prospect Jordan Walker, who is getting the Opening Day nod in right field. O'Neill is looking for a bounce-back season after he posted a .228/.308/.392 slash line in 2022.

O'Neill (illness) is starting in center field and batting second in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 27-year-old came down with a stomach virus upon his return from the World Baseball Classic, but he'll make his return to Grapefruit League action Wednesday. O'Neill struggled across his first six games of spring training, but he found his groove during WBC play and went 8-for-13 with two doubles and five walks.

O'Neill (illness) is expected to return to Grapefruit League action Wednesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

O'Neill came down with a stomach virus after returning from a strong stint with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic, but he felt well enough to taking batting practice and shag flyballs Tuesday morning in Cardinals camp. The 27-year-old should be an everyday player out of the gate this season for St. Louis, whether in left field or center field. He's shaping up as a big-time bounceback candidate for 2023, assuming there is better luck on the health front.

Cardinals managers Oliver Marmol said O'Neill's strong play for Canada at the World Baseball Classic is a "reflection of the work he put in all offseason," John Denton of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

O'Neill was one of the best players in pool play, batting .615 (8-for-13) with two doubles, four RBI and five runs scored. The Cardinals have four players competing for three starting spots in the outfield, but Marmol's comments would suggest that O'Neill will get an everyday job out of the gate. Whether he plays in left field or center field remains to be seen -- he'll likely get time in both spots, especially since Lars Nootbaar and Dylan Carlson are also capable of playing in more than one outfield position.

O'Neill is competing with Dylan Carlson for the starting center fielder job with the Cardinals, manager Oliver Marmol told Katie Woo of The Athletic on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

O'Neill is slated to play center field for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic and evidently the Cards will give him a long look there, as well. In all likelihood, it's going to be Carlson in center and O'Neill in left field on Opening Day, but the team is keeping its options open. Noticeably absent from the center field competition is Lars Nootbaar, who appears pegged for a corner outfield spot. Also worth noting is that O'Neill potentially playing some center field would seemingly create a clearer path in right field for Jordan Walker.

O'Neill agreed to a one-year, $4.95 million contract with the Cardinals on Friday to avoid arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

O'Neill had his 2022 salary decided by an arbiter after the two sides were unable to come to terms, but an agreement was reached for 2023 ahead of Friday's deadline. The 27-year-old had a .912 OPS in 2021 but took a step back last year while dealing with multiple injuries, and he finished with a .228/.308/.392 slash line and 14 home runs in 96 contests.

O'Neill (hamstring) hasn't made enough progress to be considered for the Cardinals' wild-card roster, Jim Hayes of Bally Sports Midwest reports.

EDGE Analysis

O'Neill hasn't played since mid-September due to a strained hamstring, ending a disappointing regular season with a .228/.308/.392 slash line in 96 games. While he's made some progress in recent days, it won't be enough for him to return to action within a week, though he's yet to be officially ruled out for future rounds should the Cardinals advance.

O'Neill (hamstring) won't be activated from the 10-day injured list before the Cardinals' regular-season finale Wednesday in Pittsburgh, but manager Oliver Marmol said the outfielder could be included on the postseason roster, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

EDGE Analysis

Though O'Neill isn't progressing quickly enough from his left hamstring strain to play in games, he's scheduled to hit on the field over each of the next three days, which should give the Cardinals a sense of whether he'll be ready to play during the wild-card round, which begins Friday. His absence has paved the way for Dylan Carlson to re-emerge as a regular in the St. Louis outfield.

O'Neill (hamstring) will advance to agility drills and angled running Saturday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

EDGE Analysis

O'Neill has missed the last two weeks with a strained left hamstring, but he's taking steps in the right direction. Reports from earlier in the week indicated that his availability for the playoffs was in doubt, so it may still be a stretch for him to return before the end of the regular season despite his progress.