For the first time in nine years, the Pirates have signed a free agent to a multi-year deal, agreeing on a two-year contract worth $29 million with Ryan O’Hearn, per source. The deal is pending a physical.
The last Pirates player to agree to a multi-year deal was pitcher Ivan Nova (three years) in 2016. The last position player was John Jaso (two years) in 2015.
O’Hearn, 32, started the 2025 season with the Orioles, slashing .283/.374/.463 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs in 94 games before being traded to San Diego, where he slashed .276/.350/.387 with four home runs and 20 RBIs in 50 games.
According to Baseball Savant, O’Hearn’s adjusted home run total if all of his batted balls were at PNC Park would have accounted for just 12 home runs.
Defensively, O’Hearn is strongest at first base but with Spencer Horwitz on the club, he’s likely going to play a corner outfield spot. He could also find time batting in the designated hitter spot in a platoon with a right-handed hitter, though last season he batted .278 against lefties in 97 at-bats.
The Pirates have made two trades to bring in four players, including two-time All-Star Brandon Lowe and top-100 prospect Jhostynxon Garcia, and have now signed two players of significance in O’Hearn and left-handed reliever Gregory Soto this offseason.
The additions of Lowe and O’Hearn help the Pirates lengthen their lineup, and Garcia has plenty of potential. Soto will be an asset in the back end of the bullpen, too. They still may be a bat away from being in a significantly better position heading into 2026, but progress is certainly being made and the plan to improve the lineup is being executed.