Ryan O’Hearn’s path to Pittsburgh was shaped by patience, preparation, and a clear understanding of how modern free agency works. In an offseason that moved slower than many players would prefer, O’Hearn leaned into the process while staying ready for whatever opportunity emerged.
“I think the key is being patient. Every player wants to know where they are going to go, but it’s such a long offseason. With the way that the market is now it feels like it takes a while to get moving. Teams will kind of kick the tires early on to let you know they’re interested. I feel like the deals start to get moving at the Winter Meetings.”
Despite the uncertainty, O’Hearn’s offseason routine stayed consistent. Free agency did not change the work, only the waiting. His focus remained on staying physically ready while navigating the mental side of the process.
“It’s been different, but it’s also pretty much the same. As far as lifting and the work, the baseball stuff, it’s pretty much been the same. I will play some golf for the first month or so, but I like to lift so I get in the gym pretty quick. Now I’m at a point where I hit three or four days a week, throw, try to run around a little bit, and then continue to lift. As far as that went, there wasn’t anything different. Just kind of checking in with my agent every few days just to see if there was anything new. It’s fun to ultimately have a choice to pick where you want to play, but it can definitely be stressful too.”
When Pittsburgh entered the picture, it quickly became clear that the appeal went beyond a contract offer. O’Hearn saw a fit in the ballpark, the roster construction, and the direction of the organization.
“I don’t know if it was one selling point. There was a few things about Pittsburgh that I liked. The ballpark being one, it is a great ballpark, and that’s important as a player because you’re there 81 games out of the year and it’s your home yard. I wanted to go to a place where I felt like I could play well, put up numbers, and enjoy the stadium and the atmosphere and that beautiful city in the background. Have a chance to hit the ball into the river. I just have good vibes at the stadium. Then you know, looking at the roster, it just seemed like it was a sneaky good roster. It wasn’t that far off. I want to play on a team that can pitch. In this game, pitching is everything. It seemed like a couple of pieces could do a lot of good for this team, and I wanted to do that.”
O’Hearn also placed strong value on leadership and clubhouse stability, especially over the course of a long season. For him, the manager’s presence can shape how players respond to adversity just as much as success.
“It’s everything. I think guys want to play for a manager that’s going to be consistent. Not riding the highs or the lows of the season. To have a manager that’s played for a long time and knows how important it is to be even keeled. Players can feel what a manager is putting off in the dugout and it directly affects them, I think. DK, he’s got that easy going, lowkey, kind of steady vibe to him and I think it’s really important for a manager. My favorite ones are the ones that feels like you’re in it with them.”
Joining a young Pirates roster gives O’Hearn the opportunity to bring experience without forcing leadership. His approach centers on relationships, consistency, and keeping the game enjoyable through the grind of a six-month season.
“It’s exciting to be on a team with a lot of young, crazy talent. I think the key is finding a way to get that out of them. You got to have fun. This is supposed to be a fun thing; it’s six months of baseball every day. If you’re not having fun in May then what are we doing? We got four months to go! You got to be solid every day and you got to have fun with it. My plan is to develop relationships with these guys. I can’t wait to be around the guys and get to know them and just be the same guy every day. Whether things are going good or bad, you can talk to me. My plan is just to be the same guy every day, bring good energy, care about the guys, and when it’s time to play the game, I’ll play as hard as I can and get after it.”
That mindset extends into how O’Hearn views team chemistry, something he believes is essential for sustained success.
“You got to have guys that want to be around each other, want to get to know each other, to create something special. The best teams that I have been a part of are close. They hang out on the road, they do stuff on the off days together, and they make it a point to get to know each other. I think having the right guys come in is everything.”
On the field, O’Hearn’s versatility allows him to contribute in multiple ways, a trait that has become increasingly valuable in today’s game.
“Just the way that baseball is nowadays, there’s not many teams that roll out the same lineup every day. I think it’s important to keep that DH spot rotating to get guys off their feet, and for me to be able to fit into the lineup at first base, DH, if they need me in the outfield occasionally, or whatever they need I will figure it out… you know that mentality of ‘I’ll do whatever you need.’”
His development as a hitter did not happen overnight. Opportunity, trust, and repetition allowed O’Hearn to grow into the player he is today.
“I had a great opportunity in Baltimore to be on the field a lot. To fail and still be able to be in the lineup the next day and kind of figure some things out. I credit a lot of it to hitting coaches over the years. Then, I got that opportunity to play and got hot, and as you all know, that mental side of the game is huge… Once you’re out there every day you’re like ‘this is baseball; I know how to do this’. In 2023, I had a great opportunity to play and it kind of snowballed into 2024. Then last year, I hate to say it was fun because it wasn’t fun as a team… but personally, for me I felt great and I played well. Now, I’m looking forward to playing well with a team that’s playing well.”
One area of growth has been his approach against left-handed pitching, where simplicity has driven improvement.
“Being earlier. That’s the simplest way I can put it. Being as early as possible. Giving yourself time to see it and trying to stay through the center of the field. I have no problem getting jammed on a left-handed sinker or a left-handed fastball for a base hit, like jam shot base hit over short stop or second base because that allows be to be able to hit the spin on the barrel and do damage.”
If there is one thing O’Hearn makes abundantly clear, it is his disdain for striking out, a feeling that has shaped his plate discipline over time.
“Hate it. I have always hated striking out. In 2023, I wasn’t striking out, but I was also swinging at 88% of 3-2 pitches which is like astronomically high, because I didn’t want to strikeout and in turn that was making me chase and hit weak contact when I should have been walking. So, emphasis on being disciplined, maybe cutting down the strike zone a little bit, shrinking the zone a little bit in 3-2 counts has kind of helped me over the years. Every now and then I ‘K’ looking, but you’ve got to be OK with that because, in addition to that, three other times I may take a ball and get a walk. There is no doubt about it, I hate striking out. It’s the worst. Especially striking out with a man on third with less than two outs. The worst. I want to bang my head against the wall when I get back to the dugout.”
O’Hearn is also excited about the lineup he is joining and the protection it can offer hitters throughout the order.
“Stacking up as many good hitters in a row as you can is huge. Lineup protection is a real thing. If there’s a guy on deck that’s absolutely banging, it’s like ‘hey, we need to go after the guy in front of him because we don’t want to get to him.’ It’s a real thing. As many good hitters you can stack up in a row is everything, and different types of hitters too. A couple guys that are OBP guys and then you got Oneil Cruz who comes up and hits one in the river. Just different types of hitters that present different challenges for the pitcher and makes it hard to call guys out of the bullpen and match up, it’s the key in my opinion.”
When asked what kind of player Pirates fans are getting, O’Hearn’s answer reflected his identity and priorities.
“I’m a grindy player in my opinion. I wear that badge with honor. I like to grind out at-bats, you know, 0-2 to 3-2, foul off three pitches and work a walk. I’m going to hit some homers. I’m not really trying to hit a homer; I’m trying to hit line drives in the gap. I love to hit with men in scoring position; that’s when the focus goes way up and it’s like the big moments in the game and the fans are into it and they realize the pressure or the height of the situation. I love those moments, hitting in those moments. I don’t like to strikeout. I know I’ve said that a few times. I really don’t like to strikeout.” Loud and clear, Ryan. Loud and clear!
Above all else, O’Hearn’s motivation is rooted in competition and commitment.
“I want to win. I want to compete and play hard for the fans and for my teammates. So, I’m going to play hard every day. I promise you that.”
The Pirates did not just add a hitter. They added a player whose presence may matter just as much in the clubhouse as it does in the box score. If this team is serious about changing how it competes over the course of a long season, additions like Ryan O’Hearn are exactly how that shift begins.
