The Pittsburgh Pirates took another step toward being a contender in 2026, agreeing to terms with All-Star first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn on a two-year, $29 million deal, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Tuesday.
It is the first multiple-year free agent deal that the Pirates have put together since 2016 as they look to give a boost to one of the worst offenses in the majors.
O’Hearn, 32, had a big year in 2025, earning his first All-Star selection while setting career highs with a .281 average, 17 homers and 3.0 WAR. The left-hander doesn’t have massive raw power, but instead is more of a steady on-base threat. He played more regularly against lefties last season and hit .278/.358/.474 against them in 109 plate appearances.
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The deal is the latest in a very busy winter for the Pirates, who acquired second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum and left-handed pitcher Mason Montgomery last week as part of a three-team trade. Pittsburgh has also traded for Red Sox outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia, who hit 18 homers in Triple-A, signed reliever Gregory Soto and has been in the mix for a number of other players as it tries to bolster its lineup to support a pitching staff that includes reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and rookie Bubba Chandler.
The Pirates are coming off a 71-91 season in which the offense finished at or near the bottom of the majors in most significant statistical categories, including runs and home runs.
O’Hearn had 64 RBIs while playing for the Orioles and Padres last season. He provides a bit of versatility as he’s played both first base and a corner outfield spot. The Pirates have the left-hand hitting Spencer Horwitz at first, though O’Hearn could see time there and perhaps in the outfield to play alongside Oneil Cruz and two-time All-Star Bryan Reynolds.
In eight MLB seasons, which includes a five-year stint with the Royals, O’Hearn is a career .252 hitter, though his numbers have spiked over the last three seasons. He is batting .277 with 46 homers and 182 RBIs since the start of 2023 and now finds himself playing half his games in a ballpark where the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall starts just 320 feet from home plate.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
