Ryan

O'Hearn

O’Hearn got the party started in the opening inning, crushing a 3-0 fastball from Chris Bassitt for a 402-foot (103.8 mph EV) two-run shot. He then capped off a four-run uprising in the second inning with a two-run double. The 32-year-old slugger finished the afternoon 2-for-5 and is now hitting a robust .367/.459/.700 with three long balls and 11 RBI on the season.

O’Hearn’s third hit plated the go-ahead run in the 10th. The Pirates tacked on one more run from there and then survived the bottom of the 10th despite the Mets opening that inning with a Francisco Lindor walk and a Juan Soto double as Lindor was thrown out trying to score with none out. O’Hearn ended the first series of the year 6-for-14 with a homer and three RBI.

This qualifies as a bit of a surprise since Garcia was off to a sizzling-hot start this spring, batting .405 (15-for-37) with two homers and three steals in 17 games. The calculus for the Pirates likely involves having the 23-year-old corner outfielder playing regularly on the doorstop of the majors as opposed to languishing in a part-time role at the highest level. His departure means that veteran offseason acquisition Ryan O’Hearn will open the year as Pittsburgh’s starting right fielder with Marcell Ozuna at DH.

O’Hearn played right field today for the sixth time in his seven starts this spring, so it seems clear that will be his primary position to begin the year. Bryan Reynolds is going to slide back to left field, his primary position in 2023 and ’24, after working exclusively in right field last year.

He’s raised his Spring Training OPS to 1.332, though naturally he scored no runs and drove in nobody as the Pirates have introduced him to their hitting culture early. O’Hearn has appeared at the cleanup spot in four of his six appearances to date and that’s how we’d imagine the Pirates employing him against righties when the regular season starts.

O’Hearn started in right field today. He figured to be the Pirates’ first baseman and DH when he signed six weeks ago, but with Marcell Ozuna joining the club and Spencer Horwitz mostly limited to first base, it now seems like the bulk of O’Hearn’s playing time will come in the outfield. That’s not really ideal from a defensive standpoint, but it’ll work out if Ozuna bounces back.

He can earn up to $500,000 extra based on plate appearances each season, with the full amount kicking in at 525. Typically a platoon player, O’Hearn will probably get a chance to be an everyday player in Pittsburgh, since the team already has several other candidates to sit against lefties. He could eke out a little mixed-league value, but it’s just not a great situation with the mediocre lineup around him and tough offensive ballpark.

The deal includes $500K in performance bonuses in each season. It’s another solid move for the Pirates, who also acquired Brandon Lowe and Jake Mangum just last week. The 32-year-old O’Hearn rejuvenated his career in Baltimore over the last three years and hit .281/.366/.427 in 144 games for the Orioles and Padres last year while clubbing 17 home runs. He does struggle against lefties, so the Pirates will likely need to platoon him with somebody like Jhostynxon Garcia or Nick Yorke, but O’Hearn should be the regular starter against right-handed pitching and hit in the middle of what is becoming a deeper lineup in Pittsburgh.

O’Hearn put the Padres on top early with a grand slam off Bruce Zimmermann in the first inning. He later added a base hit in the third. The 32-year-old slugger has had a solid season, slashing .276/.362/.435 with 17 homers, 63 runs scored, and 62 RBI across 528 plate appearances.

O’Hearn delivered the game’s biggest blow with a bases-clearing three-run double in the sixth inning that gave the Padres a 5-2 lead. He also singled with two outs in the second inning. Since joining the Padres in a deadline deal from the Orioles, the 32-year-old slugger is hitting .241/.318/.343 with three homers and 15 RBI in 154 plate appearances.