SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Having spent his entire career playing in the NL Central, Tyler O’Neill didn’t get many chances to visit Fenway Park while a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. The opportunity did come once in the summer of 2022, however, allowing O’Neill to start all three games in the shadow of the Green Monster in left field.

Now the two-time Gold Glove winner is going to get to spend a lot more time at the historic ballpark.

Acquired this winter in exchange for two pitching prospects, O’Neill is expected to replace Alex Verdugo as one of Boston’s primary outfielders, though where exactly he’ll slot is still uncertain. O’Neill has primarily played left field throughout his career and he’d be an upgrade defensively over Masataka Yoshida, who could instead play more designated hitter, but he could also potentially play center or right, depending on the club’s plans for Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu.

Speaking to reporters for the first time since joining the Red Sox, O’Neill said he’ll be ready and willing no matter where Alex Cora puts him.

“I only played left field here, the ballpark is so awesome and I’m looking forward to getting to know it better,” O’Neill said. “Speaking from my experience, understanding how to play left field and understanding what the monster felt like, it was awesome. I haven’t been on the right field side of the ballpark yet, let alone center field, so I don’t know what it looks like exactly for positioning for me, but what I can say is I’m willing and able to play wherever Alex wants me on a day to day basis. I know I have the range to play right field if I have to, wherever they want me, I’m willing and able.”

O’Neill said he hasn’t been told where he’ll play specifically yet, but it won’t affect his preparation for the season either way. Having dealt with injuries that limited him to 72 games in 2023 and 92 games the year before, O’Neill is hoping to get back to being the player he was in 2021, when he hit 34 home runs with a .912 OPS, both by far the highest totals of his career.

“I fully believe that player is still in there and I feel I have more than that in the tank still,” O’Neill said. “The big thing for me is staying healthy, once I get into a rhythm — get consistent, every day at bats — then I can start to feel comfortable and be that player again.”