Free-agent first baseman Ryan O’Hearn and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in agreement on a two-year, $29 million contract, according to sources familiar with the deal. It includes $500,000 in performance bonuses in each season.
O’Hearn, 32, reinvented himself with the Baltimore Orioles after being traded by the Kansas City Royals after the 2022 season and is coming off his best season in eight years in the Majors. In 94 games with the O's in 2025, he hit .283/374/.463 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI. He was traded along with Ramon Laureano at the trade deadline to the San Diego Padres, where he hit .276/.350/.387 with four home runs and 20 RBI in 50 games.
Entering the offseason, the Pirates prioritized upgrading their offense. At the GM Meetings, general manager Ben Cherington noted that the franchise had more financial flexibility than in any offseason since he had been in Pittsburgh. The team has followed that up by trading for former Boston Red Sox top prospect Jhostynxon Garcia and Tampa Bay Rays All-Star Brandon Lowe. And now they have added O’Hearn.
Before adding O’Hearn, the Pirates were considering a number of options, including Marcell Ozuna and Kazuma Okamoto, sources say.
Pirates make good on spending promise with Ryan O'Hearn deal
Last season, the Pirates finished last in baseball in home runs (117), RBI and OPS and had only five players hit double-digit homers. They’ve added a combined 44 long balls between both O’Hearn and Lowe. And now, with an upgraded offense and one of the best young pitching staffs in baseball, the organization is hopeful of getting back to the postseason for the first time since 2015.
Further additions should not be ruled out. In speaking to reporters after the Lowe trade, Cherington identified another starting pitcher and further bullpen help as areas he wanted to address. The team has already added veteran reliever Gregory Soto on a one-year, $7.75 million pact. And given their urgency in upgrading the offense, further moves on offense should not be ruled out either.
But adding meaningful additions on offense was always the top priority with the Pirates. They did so with Lowe. And on Tuesday afternoon, they did so once again with O’Hearn.