logo
Blue Jays 2025 free agent target: Ryan O’Hearn
alt
Photo credit: © Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Graeme Wallace
Nov 19, 2025, 09:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 18, 2025, 17:24 EST
Comments
First Base may not be the first position the Blue Jays target when it comes to the current free agent class. After all, they did sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year, $500 million megadeal this past season, and he’ll be a mainstay at that spot for the next decade-plus.
However, improving the bench and the overall roster should be on the team’s radar, and free agent Ryan O’Hearn has demonstrated some positional versatility and proven himself to be a professional hitter over the last three seasons. 
O’Hearn was an eighth-round draft choice of the Kansas City Royals in 2014, and he made his MLB debut on July 31st, 2018. He fared well in his first taste of major league action and finished the year batting .262 with 10 doubles, 12 homers, 30 RBI, and a .950 OPS. He was seen as a potential core piece for the rebuilding Royals. However, over the next three seasons, the former Sam Houston State star struggled with his game and with staying on the field. He hit a combined .211 with a .633 OPS and played in 100+ games just once. 
The Baltimore Orioles acquired him during the 2022/2023 offseason, and his debut year within the AL East has coincided with a career turnaround that has the 32-year-old in line for a big payday. Playing as part of a platoon at first base with notorious Jays-killer Ryan Mountcastle, O’Hearn got into 112 games in 2023 and hit .289 with 22 doubles, 14 home runs, 60 RBI, and a .801 OPS. He posted similar numbers in 2024 before another strong campaign last year. 

2025 MLB Stats

O’Hearn got off to a quick start in 2025, and it got 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 being 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 got into 50 more games with the Padres and hit .276 with six doubles, four homers, 20 RBI, and a .736 OPS. Overall, O’Hearn hit .281 with 21 doubles, 17 homers, a career-high 63 RBI, and an .803 OPS. 
Batting from the left side, O’Hearn produced a 2.4 bWAR and spent more time in right field this year, producing a clean fielding percentage with -4 DRS.

Does O’Hearn fit with the Blue Jays? 

O’Hearn’s fit on the 2026 Blue Jays may not be an obvious one, as he plays the same position as their most recognizable and arguably best player. He does hit from the opposite side of the plate as Vladdy does, and has logged 121 games in the outfield in his career, mostly in right field. That’s a position that is expected to be filled by a combination of Addison Barger, Anthony Santander, and, occasionally, George Springer.
Santander and Springer are also expected to get regular 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 currently miss on the right side of the infield with Ty France no longer on the team. 
The Blue Jays could make room on their roster for that kind of workload for him, and he fits their hitting profile as a strong contact hitter with power, so it could be an off-the-radar signing that benefits both sides. The downside is O’Hearn may be looking for more playing time this year after the strong campaign he posted last season, so while the fit is there from a bench player position, he likely is looking for a team that will give him everyday reps – something Toronto can’t guarantee right now. 

Featured

Editorials

Breaking News