Ryan O’Hearn DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Baltimore Orioles are picking up designated hitter/first baseman Ryan O'Hearn's $7.5 million option for the 2025 season. O'Hearn finished the 2024 regular season strong at the plate and ultimately hit .264/.334/.427 with a .761 OPS, career-high 15 home runs, 59 RBI, three stolen bases and career-high 60 runs scored in 142 regular-season games in his second year in Baltimore. He has slashed .275/.329/.450 with an above-average .779 OPS, 29 home runs, 119 RBI, eight steals and 108 runs scored in 254 games in his two seasons with the O's and will remain a part of the organization as the team looks to make the postseason for the third straight year in 2025. The 31-year-old lefty swinger should remain a lineup regular for Baltimore next year against right-handed pitching.

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan O'Hearn is back in the starting lineup as the designated hitter for Game 2 of the wild-card series on Wednesday against the Kansas City Royals and right-hander Seth Lugo at Camden Yards. O'Hearn did not make the start in Game 1 on Tuesday with a lefty on the mound, but he did appear as a pinch-hitter late in the game. The 31-year-old lefty swinger will now hope to do some damage in the six-hole in a must-win game for Baltimore. He could be a sneaky DFS play for Wednesday's action against a right-hander. O'Hearn hit .264 (106-for-401) against righties in 2024, including all 15 of his home runs. He finished September strong, too, going 8-for-20 (.400) with two home runs, a double and five RBI in the last six games of the regular season. With Adley Rutschman moving back to catcher, James McCann will open Wednesday's contest on the bench.

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan O'Hearn and outfielder Austin Slater are not included in the starting lineup for Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Kansas City Royals at Camden Yards on Tuesday. In addition, catcher James McCann will be behind the dish and will hit ninth against Royals left-hander Cole Ragans. Adley Rutschman is the designated hitter and is batting fifth, while Colton Cowser starts in left field and bats sixth. O'Hearn ended the regular season on a tear with the bat but did not have a single one of his 15 home runs on the year against left-handed pitchers. With veteran righty Seth Lugo set to start for KC in Game 2 on Wednesday, expect the lefty-hitting O'Hearn to be back in at DH for the O's. Slater has hit just .209 combined in 2024 with two homers and 18 RBI in 177 at-bats with the Orioles, San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds.