The Red Sox changed Friday evening’s lineup twice between noon and first pitch at 6:05 p.m., with both changes related to Tyler O’Neill.

O’Neill, 28 was originally slated to bat fifth and play right-field, then downgraded to playing as the designated hitter, before being scratched from the lineup altogether due to left-calf tightness.

It’s a concerning update for the outfielder, who just returned to the lineup on Mar. 12 after several days off due to calf tightness. He’s appeared in seven preseason games thus far and hit well, going 5-for-16 (.313) with a double, home run, seven runs scored, three driven in, and two stolen bases.

O’Neill, acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Nick Robertson and Victor Santos back in early December, in his final year of club control. He enjoyed a breakout season in ’21, when he played in a career-high 138 games and clobbered 34 home runs and 26 doubles, but overall, injuries prevented him from being a full-time player in St. Louis; he’s averaged just over 85 games per year during his five 162-game seasons between his ’18 debut and last season.

The concern over O’Neill’s lingering calf issues are compounded by Rob Refsnyder’s injury earlier this week. With Refsnyder expected to miss at least a month thanks to a fractured pinky toe from a hit-by-pitch, O’Neill and Ceddanne Rafaela are their only right-handed-hitting outfielders. Rafaela is having a strong spring, but it’s a lot to ask of a rookie that he shoulder the burden alone.