Baltimore Orioles outfielder Ryan O'Hearn (32) hits a double during the eighth inning of their game against the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Orioles All-Star Ryan O'Hearn drawing interest from NL Central contenders

Originally posted on Baltimore Orioles on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Baltimore Orioles are a team that many people are keeping a close eye on with MLB's trade deadline just two days away.

They have already started selling off some of their desirable assets, trading away two relief pitchers in the last few weeks. Ahead of the 2025 MLB Draft, the Orioles traded right-handed pitcher Bryan Baker to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for the No. 37 pick; that selection was used on star prep outfielder Slater de Brun.

Over the weekend, Baltimore traded left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to the New York Mets, in exchange for right-handed pitching prospects Wellington Aracena and Cameron Foster.

Who could be on the move next? Arguably the most valuable trade chip that the Orioles possess is designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn.

A starter for the AL in the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, O'Hearn picked the perfect time to have a career campaign. Set to be a free agent this upcoming winter, he has put himself in a position to earn a solid payday, and is currently one of the best left-handed hitters available on the trade market.

Another franchise can be added to the list of suitors, with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required) sharing that the Milwaukee Brewers are amongst the teams interested in him.

What I’m hearing: https://t.co/cA49QjiNuK
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 29, 2025

O’Hearn has cooled off from his scorching start to the 2025 campaign, but would be a nice addition to a contender’s lineup. The 32-year-old puts up excellent numbers against right-handed pitching, recording a .296/.385/.484 slash line in 291 plate appearances with 12 home runs, 11 doubles, and 38 RBI; he also features excellent plate discipline, drawing 35 walks and striking out only 46 times against righties.

Ideally, O’Hearn would be the left-handed hitting side if a platoon, but he has seen his opportunities against southpaws increase this season. He has also been playing the field more to surprisingly good results, increasing his value even more that he can chip in at first base and left field, not only being relegated to designated hitter duties.

Meanwhile, the Brewers sit atop the NL Central thanks to strong pitching from both the rotation and bullpen. However, if they want to make a deep playoff run, adding a bat like O'Hearn's would absolutely help them.

It's clear that the Orioles are sellers before Thursday's deadline, but it is somewhat unclear how deep into sell-mode they will go. Perhaps capitalizing on O'Hearn's steadily increasing trade value may provide an answer.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Orioles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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