Ryan O’Hearn Quietly Emerging as One of the Pirates’ Most Valuable Contributors
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a splash this off-season when they signed Ryan O’Hearn to a 2 year $29 million deal back in January. The signing was the highest ever given to a free agency bat in franchise history and was the first free player signed to a multi-year contract by the club in a decade. Despite the big splash signing it was at the time and what the left-handed hitter has done to this point in the season, O’Hearn is not part of the All-Star voting process.
O’Hearn has been quietly just what the Pirates needed for their youthful club. Since joining with Pittsburgh, O’Hearn has worn the mantle of experienced presence in a relatively young clubhouse, and worn it well. While his role in the clubhouse normally comes with a player that’s over the hill, that couldn’t be further from the truth with O’Hearn.
“The older player gets the stable mindset not only off the field, but on the field with O’Hearn. The 32-year-old lefty has been one of the steady performers in manager Don Kelly’s lineup that has radically changed this attack. Pittsburgh ended 2025 near the bottom of the league in both home runs and runs scored, but the club has flipped the script in 2026 and the bats have come alive. O’Hearn has been a catalyst in that regard. It’s not been spectacular, or over the top, but it’s been a continuous driving factor. O’Hearn is slashing .274/.333/.447 with a .780 OPS on the year. O’Hearn has collected 11 homers, 65 hits overall and 41 RBIs at the plate. He drove in a career-best six runs June 17 against the Athletics.
Even with the model of consistency O’Hearn has been, he’s not in the top percent of players getting All-Star votes. He has had a big influence on the team at first base, right field and as a designated hitter, but isn’t getting the votes that teammates such as Oneil Cruz (outfield) and Spencer Horwitz (first base) are getting. Cruz has been on the injured list for a long and is still in the top 20 in votes for outfielders while O’Hearn is nowhere to be seen.
O’Hearn has been selected to the All-Star team once in his career. O’Hearn was chosen to the American League All-Star team as the starting DH last season while playing for the Baltimore Orioles. O’Hearn is on track to duplicate the numbers that earned him an All-Star just a season ago.
Kelly was quite impressed with O’Hearn’s career trajectory at the time of his signing, saying he might be a game-changer for the Pirates.
“That toughness and that grit, that resiliency he showed in that moment of going from being DFA’d to starting in the All-Star Game, that’s what Pittsburgh is all about,” Kelly said. “We’re really excited to get him in the organization.”
Pittsburgh and O’Hearn seem to already be a match made in heaven as he really looks bought in to transforming the organization and delivering a champion to the city. So far O’Hearn has more than pleased as a Pirate and even if he doesn’t make the National League All-Star roster, he could wind up being one of those remarkable additions the Buccos have had in recent history. Since he was signed, O’Hearn has made it known that he believes in the team.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be a Pirate,” O’Hearn added. I love the stadium, I love the city, I love what it’s all about. “I did my research before I made a decision, and it’s a team that can pitch and just felt like one or two pieces away from being a legit contender.
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