All-Star first baseman/DH/right fielder Ryan O’Hearn will be a free agent after the season, making him an obvious trade candidate given the Orioles’ struggles this year. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand says Baltimore’s price on O’Hearn is nonetheless “very high,” though that may be standard posturing with the trade deadline about two hours away.
O’Hearn, 32, has an excellent 134 wRC+ in 361 plate appearances this year. It’s worth noting, however, that most of his production came in the season’s first two months, as the lefty slugger has slipped to a 92 wRC+ since June. Also consider that O’Hearn requires a platoon partner; the Orioles sit him against southpaws on a regular basis.
The “very high” price tag, then, feels like a bit of a stretch, but O’Hearn is still a solid bat in a market light on those. One potential suitor is the Rangers, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, although Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News doesn’t see the fit. The Brewers were connected to O’Hearn two days ago. Feinsand notes that the Astros were interested in O’Hearn, but the Marlins’ Jesus Sanchez is “now high on Houston’s radar.”
O’Hearn is earning $8MM this year, meaning about $2.5MM remains. Given that the 2026 qualifying offer will likely be north of $21MM, the Orioles almost have to trade O’Hearn prior to the deadline to recoup some value.