This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
In 2023, Ryan O'Hearn’s MLB career was revived following a trade from Kansas City to Baltimore. It turned out to be the best possible move for the '14 eighth-round Draft pick, who struggled to stick in the Majors after his journey from Sam Houston State University through the Royals’ Minor League ranks.
A little more than two years since that move, O’Hearn has become an All-Star -- and not only that, but a starter in the 2025 Midsummer Classic.
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On Wednesday, O’Hearn was announced as the starting designated hitter for the American League in this year’s All-Star Game, which will take place July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta. The 31-year-old won Phase 2 of voting, beating the Yankees’ Ben Rice in a head-to-head matchup by receiving 78% of votes.
O’Hearn is the lone All-Star for the Orioles, who did not have any reserves or pitchers named to the AL squad when rosters were revealed Sunday.
“I’ve been trying not to get my hopes up for the last month or so as all of this has been going on,” O’Hearn said. “To finally get the news [Wednesday], to get to be a starter, I mean, I’m over the moon.”
Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino broke the news to the team when they arrived in the clubhouse before Wednesday’s game at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
O’Hearn described it as a “cool” moment, then called his mom, Christine, to share the news.
“I can't wait to tell my dad [Tom]. My mom's freaking out,” O'Hearn said. “It’s been such a journey in my career. For the majority of it, I never thought something like this was in the cards. Still kind of in shock.”
O’Hearn will be the first Orioles player to start at DH in the ASG since Nelson Cruz in 2014.
It’s not a surprise that O’Hearn is heading to the All-Star Game, as the slugger is in the midst of a career year. Entering Saturday, he was hitting .290 with 11 doubles, 11 home runs, 30 RBIs and an .840 OPS over 74 games.
Although the O’s have mostly had a disappointing season (38-49 entering Saturday), O’Hearn has been one of the biggest bright spots. In addition to his offense, he has made 27 starts at first base, taking on a larger role there since Ryan Mountcastle (right hamstring strain) went on the injured list in late May.
O’Hearn has become a clubhouse leader during his third season in Baltimore. He has repeatedly been praised by teammates for his positive attitude and the workmanlike approach he brings to the field each day.
“It’s really cool to watch him do his thing and really cool to see where he is now through the journey that he’s had through baseball,” shortstop Gunnar Henderson said. “There’s no one more deserving than him.”
Few could have predicted this would be the type of player O’Hearn would become when he was traded from the Royals to the Orioles on Jan. 3, 2023, in exchange for cash considerations. Two days later, he was designated for assignment by the O’s. He stuck in the organization, but he was sent to Triple-A Norfolk at the end of Spring Training that year.
From 2018-22, O’Hearn played 342 big league games for Kansas City and hit only .219 with a .683 OPS. Once he got an opportunity in Baltimore early in the ‘23 season, he quickly proved he was capable of being a better player.
O’Hearn hit .289 with 14 homers, 60 RBIs and an .802 OPS in 112 games in 2023, helping the O’s go an AL-best 101-61 and win the AL East title. He was even more impactful in ‘24, when he set career highs in bWAR (2.0), games played (142), hits (117), triples (three) and home runs (15) while slashing .264/.334/.427 and helping Baltimore reach the postseason as a Wild Card.
It was an easy decision for the Orioles to pick up O’Hearn’s $8 million team option for the 2025 season, as he has shown with his All-Star-caliber play thus far.
O’Hearn has authored quite the story, admitting the All-Star Game felt like a “pipe dream” a few years ago. Now, it’s a reality.
“I spent a lot of time just trying to keep my head above the water in the big leagues and just stick around as long as I possibly could,” O’Hearn said. “To be able to say, ‘I'm a Major League All-Star,’ I'm blown away.”
This will be the third consecutive year that Baltimore will have a player in the AL’s starting lineup for the All-Star Game. Austin Hays started in center field in 2023, while starting pitcher Corbin Burnes, catcher Adley Rutschman and shortstop Henderson all started in ‘24.