Could the Pittsburgh Pirates add this All-Star during the MLB offseason?
The Pittsburgh Pirates definitely need to add some bats this winter, as their offense ranked at or near the bottom of every statistical category in 2025. That isn't a secret.
The question is, can the Pirates significantly improve their offense while operating on their historically tight budget?
Perhaps.
Pittsburgh doesn't need to go for broke and sign Kyle Tucker (let's be honest: that isn't happening). But if the Pirates make some shrewd moves here and there, there is no reason to believe that they can't considerably better their lineup.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic has identified a rather interesting potential free-agent target for Pittsburgh, zeroing in on slugger Ryan O'Hearn. Here's the best part: he is projecting the 2025 All-Star to land a team-friendly two-year, $24 million contract.
Ryan O'Hearn. Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images."O’Hearn spent the first half of the season with the Orioles, where he hit .283 with 13 home runs in 94 games before being sent to the Padres at the trade deadline. With San Diego, he hit .276 but his power dropped significantly (.463 SLG with Baltimore; .387 SLG with San Diego). O’Hearn has developed into an everyday player with the ability to hit around .280 with 15 to 17 home runs," Bowden wrote.
Yeah, the power numbers aren't great, but he slashed a very respectable .281/.366/.437 over 544 plate appearances this past season. That would have ben a revelation in the Pirates' lineup.
O'Hearn is 32 years old, so he isn't exactly a spring chicken, but right now, Pittsburgh just needs bats, and he would provide that for the team. Plus, $12 million a year in average annual value is very affordable for the Bucs.
Of course, O'Hearn couldn't be the only slugger the Pirates land this offseason. They definitely need to bring in multiple bats. But signing O'Hearn would be a nice start, and it's important to note that he posted OPSes of over .800 in two of the past three years.
The only downside to O'Hearn is that he doesn't really have a position. He has played first base and outfield throughout his career, and he also spent plenty of time serving as a designated hitter in 2025. But right now, Pittsburgh should simply be worried about acquiring offense.