2 obvious suitors emerging for Orioles in Ryan O'Hearn trade

With the Orioles' current struggles, Ryan O'Hearn could be on the move at the deadline.
Teams could be calling for Ryan O'Hearn if he continues to hit the ball well.
Teams could be calling for Ryan O'Hearn if he continues to hit the ball well. | G Fiume/GettyImages

The Baltimore Orioles' disastrous start to the season has led to early conversations of selling at the upcoming trade deadline. Ryan O'Hearn will be one of the most popular names available if the Orioles continue to struggle. Two of the most likely destinations could be the San Francisco Giants and the division rival Boston Red Sox.

What makes Ryan O'Hearn a trade candidate?

Ryan O'Hearn is a logical trade candidate for any team looking to add offense to their lineup. After nearly making the All-Star team last season, O'Hearn has been even better in 2025. He's been the best hitter for the Orioles this season, leading the team in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and OPS.

O'Hearn also has some defensive flexibility that could be valuable for many teams. He's spent most of his time as the designated hitter, but he has also played solid defense at first base and in right field over the past three seasons. Along with his play on the field, O'Hearn is in the last year of his deal. He's scheduled to hit free agency after this season, meaning he could be an affordable option at the deadline for buying teams.

How would O'Hearn fit with the Giants?

The Giants have started the season very strongly and are currently in second place in a very competitive NL West division. However, one of their best hitters over the past few seasons has been struggling mightily.

Lamonte Wade Jr. established himself as a top-of-the-lineup bat for San Francisco, but this season has been a rough go. He's slashing .165/.266/.281 with just one home run in 140 at-bats. O'Hearn would present a clear upgrade over Wade, turning a weak link in the Giants' lineup into a strength.

Wilmer Flores has also played first base in the past for the Giants, but he has been almost exclusively their DH this season. 40 of his 43 starts have come at DH, so O'Hearn wouldn't be taking away any at-bats.

Could the Red Sox be interested in an inner-division trade?

Close your eyes, Orioles fans. It might be a tough pill to swallow, but the Red Sox make a ton of sense as a landing spot for O'Hearn. Boston has had a tough time finding an everyday first baseman ever since Tristan Casas suffered a season-ending injury in early May.

There were talks of Rafael Devers picking up the glove again and moving to first base, but he quickly shut down those rumors with a controversial press conference. Now the Red Sox are discussing moving their young star Kristian Campbell to first, a position where he has limited experience.

It's clear that Boston is in a rough spot at the position, so O'Hearn would make a lot of sense for them. It would sting to see him land with a division rival, but the Orioles could look to take advantage of Boston's desperation in any trade talks.

If the Orioles can turn this season around, we won't have to talk about trades like this. However, they have dug themselves into a pretty deep hole to start the season.

More Orioles rumors from Birds Watcher