However, improving the bench and overall roster should be on the team’s radar, and free agent Ryan O’Hearn has shown some positional versatility over the past three seasons and proven himself to be a professional hitter.
O’Hearn was an eighth-round draft pick of the Kansas City Royals in 2014, and he made his MLB debut on July 31, 2018. He did well in his first taste of Major League action, finishing the year hitting .262 with 10 doubles, 12 home runs, 30 RBI and a .950 OPS. He was seen as a potential core piece for the rebuilding Royals. However, for the next three seasons, the former Sam Houston State star struggled with his play and staying on the field. He hit a combined .211 with a .633 OPS and made just one appearance in over 100 games.
The Baltimore Orioles signed him during the 2022-2023 offseason, and his debut year in the AL East coincided with a career turnaround that could see the 32-year-old in big reward. Playing as part of a platoon at first base with infamous Jays killer Ryan Mountcastle, O’Hearn played 112 games in 2023, hitting .289 with 22 doubles, 14 home runs, 60 RBI and an .801 OPS. He posted similar numbers in 2024 before mounting another strong campaign last year.
2025 MLB Stats
O’Hearn got off to a fast start in 2025, earning him league-wide recognition when he was named an All-Star starter at DH for the American League.
His moment in the spotlight came in the middle of an extremely disappointing season for the O’s, which led to O’Hearn becoming a hot commodity on the trade market. The San Diego Padres acquired the lefty slugger at the deadline, and he was a key contributor for them down the stretch as they qualified for a wild-card playoff berth.
Over 94 games with Baltimore, O’Hearn hit .283 with 15 doubles, 13 home runs, 43 RBI and an .837 OPS. He played 50 more games with the Padres, hitting .276 with six doubles, four home runs, 20 RBI and a .736 OPS. Overall, O’Hearn hit .281 with 21 doubles, 17 home runs, a career-high 63 RBI and an .803 OPS.
O’Hearn hit from the left side, produced a 2.4 bWAR and spent more time in right field this year, posting a clean fielding percentage with -4 DRS.
Is O’Hearn right for the Blue Jays?
Santander and Springer are also expected to get regular playing time at DH, so finding time for a hit-first 1B/DH/OF won’t be easy, but he does bring that experience that the Jays are currently missing on the right side of the infield with Ty France no longer on the team.
The Blue Jays could clear space on their roster for that kind of workload for him, and he fits their hitting profile as a strong contact hitter with power, so he could be an off-the-radar asset that would benefit both sides. The downside is that O’Hearn may be looking for more playing time this year after the strong season he posted last season. So while the fit is there from the bench player position, he’s likely looking for a team that will give him daily reps – something Toronto can’t guarantee at this point.
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