Phillies Urged to Pursue Orioles' Slugger Ryan O'Hearn Amid Bryce Harper Injury
Phillies Urged to Pursue Orioles' Slugger Ryan O'Hearn Amid Bryce Harper Injury originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Philadelphia Phillies are entering the pivot point of the season. Currently sitting four games back of the NL East and near the top of a stacked Wild Card, they need to determine how aggressive they want to be at the MLB trade deadline.
While bullpen inconsistencies have plagued the pitching staff, Philadelphia desperately needs another outfield bat to deepen their lineup. The team may also target a first baseman after losing nine of their last 11 games and placing former MVP Bryce Harper on the injured list with a nagging wrist issue.
One player expected to be available who can fill in at first base and add some power to the outfield is Baltimore Orioles slugger Ryan O'Hearn.
On Tuesday, Newsweek's Drew VonScio discussed O'Hearn as a perfect fit for the Phillies to improve the offense on the July 31 trade deadline.
"O'Hearn is having a career season with the Orioles this year, posting a 158 OPS+ in a season in which Baltimore has been desperate for any sort of positivity. Outside of him, though, the O's haven't had much success, which has led to him becoming available at the trade deadline," VonScio wrote.
"O'Hearn's presence would give the Phillies a huge lineup boost to fill Harper's place at first base. When the superstar returns from injury, it gives Rob Thomson some flexibility in the lineup."
Although the Orioles have not yet publicly entertained offers for O'Hearn, the longer they continue to dwell at the bottom of the AL East standings, the prospect of selling at the deadline becomes more feasible. If so, the Phillies would be smart to make an offer for O'Hearn.
This season, the left-hander is hitting .316 with nine home runs, 24 RBIs, and a stellar 158 OPS+. It also helps that O'Hearn is only under contract through the rest of the 2025 campaign for an affordable $8 million – making him one of the best rental bats on the market.
Philadelphia may want to wait and see the diagnosis of Harper's wrist injury. However, acting quickly could prove beneficial for a team trying to separate themselves from the rest of the pack in the NL playoff picture.This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
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