Ryan O'Hearn did some research when weighing his options in free agency this summer.
He liked the idea of playing at PNC Park. He remembers hitting a home run there once amid a snowy backdrop and believes it’s friendly to left-handed hitters like himself. The thought of sending a ball into the Allegheny River, he said, is especially appealing.
But in the end, the main draw for O'Hearn when he inked a two-year, $29 million deal with the Pirates this offseason was because he sees it as an opportunity for him to win.
"It’s a team that can pitch, and just seemed like one or two pieces away from being a legit contender," O'Hearn said at his introductory press conference at PNC Park on Thursday.
The pitching, O'Hearn said, was one of the big things that made the Pirates an "attractive" destination for him.
"This team in 2025 was top 10 in WHIP, ERA and strikeouts," he said. "I want to be part of a team that's going to win, and to win you got to pitch. That's one thing I've learned in my career. It's not fun being on defense three hours a night. To be a winning team, you have to pitch. You have to have a starting rotation. You have to have great bullpen guys. On that side of the ball, you've got to be good. That's one thing that really stood out to me about this team. Obviously, Paul Skenes is a generational talent. In addition to him there's other young guys that have great stuff that are coming into their own."
O'Hearn was considering the Pirates when he spoke with manager Don Kelly on the phone, a call that lasted 45 minutes. At the end of the call, he called his own agent and told him to get a deal done in Pittsburgh.
Kelly recalled that phone call as one that was "really exciting." He said they spoke of his journey that took him from Kansas City, to Baltimore, to San Diego and his time in those "different environments." And what impressed Kelly was the resiliency O'Hearn had in going from being DFA'd in 2023 to starting in the All-Star Game in 2024.
"That's what Pittsburgh is all about, is that toughness and that grit," Kelly said. "Really excited to add him to the organization."
O'Hearn said that when he faces a "setback" like getting DFA'd, his mindset is that you take a day to get mad, and then get back to work the next day.
"I always believed I could be a force in this league," he said of his turnaround in Baltimore. "I knew that I was still getting better, still growing. I just kept going. When you get it taken away like that, it makes it all that more important to you."
O'Hearn pointed to his work ethic as one of his strengths that got him through that time, saying he's someone who is "going to hustle," "play hard," and asked fans to "call me out if I’m not."
Ben Cherington pointed to O'Hearn's character as something they liked about him, calling him an "authentic guy who has been through a lot in baseball and life, loves baseball, loves being in a clubhouse with his teammates."
O'Hearn called the character talk and the notion of being a "glue guy" one of the best compliments he can get. He said he's the "most excited" to get to know the guys in the clubhouse in Bradenton, and finally get to work.
"To put on this amazing uniform that Roberto Clemente wore and Honus Wagner and all these legends and get to play a major league baseball game, gratitude is huge," O'Hearn said. "I love playing the game of baseball and I get to do it on the biggest stage. What more can you be excited about?”
THE ASYLUM
For O'Hearn, Pirates offered best path to winning
Ryan O'Hearn did some research when weighing his options in free agency this summer.
He liked the idea of playing at PNC Park. He remembers hitting a home run there once amid a snowy backdrop and believes it’s friendly to left-handed hitters like himself. The thought of sending a ball into the Allegheny River, he said, is especially appealing.
But in the end, the main draw for O'Hearn when he inked a two-year, $29 million deal with the Pirates this offseason was because he sees it as an opportunity for him to win.
"It’s a team that can pitch, and just seemed like one or two pieces away from being a legit contender," O'Hearn said at his introductory press conference at PNC Park on Thursday.
The pitching, O'Hearn said, was one of the big things that made the Pirates an "attractive" destination for him.
"This team in 2025 was top 10 in WHIP, ERA and strikeouts," he said. "I want to be part of a team that's going to win, and to win you got to pitch. That's one thing I've learned in my career. It's not fun being on defense three hours a night. To be a winning team, you have to pitch. You have to have a starting rotation. You have to have great bullpen guys. On that side of the ball, you've got to be good. That's one thing that really stood out to me about this team. Obviously, Paul Skenes is a generational talent. In addition to him there's other young guys that have great stuff that are coming into their own."
O'Hearn was considering the Pirates when he spoke with manager Don Kelly on the phone, a call that lasted 45 minutes. At the end of the call, he called his own agent and told him to get a deal done in Pittsburgh.
Kelly recalled that phone call as one that was "really exciting." He said they spoke of his journey that took him from Kansas City, to Baltimore, to San Diego and his time in those "different environments." And what impressed Kelly was the resiliency O'Hearn had in going from being DFA'd in 2023 to starting in the All-Star Game in 2024.
"That's what Pittsburgh is all about, is that toughness and that grit," Kelly said. "Really excited to add him to the organization."
O'Hearn said that when he faces a "setback" like getting DFA'd, his mindset is that you take a day to get mad, and then get back to work the next day.
"I always believed I could be a force in this league," he said of his turnaround in Baltimore. "I knew that I was still getting better, still growing. I just kept going. When you get it taken away like that, it makes it all that more important to you."
O'Hearn pointed to his work ethic as one of his strengths that got him through that time, saying he's someone who is "going to hustle," "play hard," and asked fans to "call me out if I’m not."
Ben Cherington pointed to O'Hearn's character as something they liked about him, calling him an "authentic guy who has been through a lot in baseball and life, loves baseball, loves being in a clubhouse with his teammates."
O'Hearn called the character talk and the notion of being a "glue guy" one of the best compliments he can get. He said he's the "most excited" to get to know the guys in the clubhouse in Bradenton, and finally get to work.
"To put on this amazing uniform that Roberto Clemente wore and Honus Wagner and all these legends and get to play a major league baseball game, gratitude is huge," O'Hearn said. "I love playing the game of baseball and I get to do it on the biggest stage. What more can you be excited about?”
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