The Pirates already know offense has to be on the shopping list this winter. What they don’t know yet is how big the order needs to be, and Ryan O’Hearn’s last two weeks could end up answering that.
O’Hearn was back with Pittsburgh on Friday after missing more than a month because of a left quad strain. If he stays healthy the rest of the way, the Pirates will get one more chance to judge one of the few hitters on the roster who has looked like a real middle-of-the-order presence.
Before going on the injured list Aug. 1, O’Hearn was hitting .270/.334/.454 with 17 home runs and 69 RBI. On a Pirates club that has spent much of the second half chasing dependable offense, that kind of production stands out even more.
That’s why his return matters so much. O’Hearn signed a two-year, $29 million deal last offseason, and he is already under contract for next year. Pittsburgh is now trying to figure out whether it can build part of next season’s lineup around his bat.
He’ll start by coming off the bench today. Asked what it means to be back with the team still alive, O’Hearn gave this answer:
“Yeah, especially this last week or last few weeks, really, last five series have been really good. We're just playing good baseball right now. So…
If O’Hearn comes back and starts driving the ball again, the Pirates’ offseason picture gets a lot cleaner. They’d already have a left-handed run producer they can plug into the middle of the order with players such as Oneil Cruz, Konnor Griffin and Esmerlyn Valdez.
That still wouldn’t mean Pittsburgh can ignore offense. It absolutely needs more of it. But it could change the nature of the search, shifting the focus away from finding a new primary veteran run producer and toward upgrading the other weak spots around him.
If O’Hearn doesn’t produce, though, the question gets much bigger. He’s missed a significant chunk of time, and he’ll turn 34 next summer. If the power isn’t there down the stretch, the Pirates can’t just bank on his early-season numbers coming back in 2027.
That would leave them in the same familiar spot: looking for a proven impact bat.
Pittsburgh does have some promising young hitters. Griffin has the upside to become a star, Cruz is still one of the game’s most dangerous talents, and Valdez has already shown real power as a rookie. But the lineup can’t run on potential alone.
The Pirates need at least one veteran bat they can count on in the middle of the order, and O’Hearn spent the first four months of this season looking like that guy. These final two weeks may tell Pittsburgh whether he still is - or whether finding another one has to be the biggest move of the offseason.
In Other News...
Pirates Lose A Productive Young Bat At The Worst Time
Esmerlyn Valdez had been one of the more productive young bats in the Pirates system, so his move to the 10-day injured list lands at an awkward time for a club trying to keep options open in the outfield. The Pirates made the roster move after Valdez strained his left hamstring while running to first base, and while the injury sent him to the shelf, there is still no clear sense yet of how long he might be out.
Ronny Simon was summoned from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill the open spot on the active roster, giving Pittsburgh another utility option while it waits for more information on Valdez. For now, the concern is less about the replacement and more about what the Pirates lost, since any extended absence from a young hitter with momentum can change the look of the roster quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Need Jake Mangum Again After Another Costly Outfield Loss
The Pirates were already juggling their outfield depth, and now they have another opening to cover after placing rookie Esmerlyn Valdez on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Pittsburgh recalled Ronny Simon from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill the roster spot, but the more immediate effect is on the alignment behind him, where Valdez had been providing a real offensive boost even while working through some growing pains.
Manager Don Kelly said Jake Mangum is expected to see more time in the outfield, a familiar sort of assignment for a player who has already stepped in for injured teammates this season. For a club trying to keep its lineup steady through another setback, Mangums ability to plug holes again could end up mattering as much as any single bat in the short term. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Top Prospects Just Moved One Step From A Title
The Pirates High-A affiliate is still playing meaningful baseball, and several of the organizations top prospects have helped keep Greensboro in the hunt. The Grasshoppers advanced to the South Atlantic League Championship Series after taking their Division Series over Frederick, with Edward Florentino, Tony Blanco Jr., Wyatt Sanford, Reinold Navarro and Levi Sterling all contributing during the playoff run.
Greensboro now gets a chance to go one step farther, with Winston-Salem waiting in the Championship Series set to begin Sept. 13. For a Pirates farm system that has been trying to stockpile both talent and winning habits, this is the kind of stage that gives young players a little extra pressure and a little more visibility, especially with so many familiar names still in the mix. [Read more 🡒]