Ryan O’Hearn will not rejoin the Padres.
The 32-year-old first baseman has agreed to a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates that will guarantee him $29 million, according multiple reports.
The left-handed-hitting O’Hearn reached free agency after finishing the 2025 season with the Padres. He hit .283/.374/.463 with 13 homers in 93 games as an All-Star with the Orioles and added four homers and a .276/.350/.387 batting line in 50 games after the trade to San Diego.
O’Hearn went on to go 2-for-11 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch in three games in the NL Wild Card Series.
A return to San Diego was always a long shot. The Padres already employ a left-handed-hitting first baseman/corner outfielder in Gavin Sheets, who had 19 homers and a .746 OPS in his first year in San Diego and won’t reach free agency until 2028.
The club may now pursue a right-handed complement to Sheets, who at times found himself platooning in 2025.
O’Hearn joins Dylan Cease (Blue Jays) and closer Robert Suarez (Braves) as free agents who have found new homes. The Padres last week re-signed Michael King, leaving first baseman Luis Arraez, infielder Jose Iglesias, left-hander Nestor Cortes and catcher Elias Díaz as their departing free agents looking for work.
The Padres also re-signed left-hander Kyle Hart after declining the option on his original deal.
Catcher Martín Maldonado has retired.