Why Passan says Mariners’ best trade fit is Ryan O’Hearn

When the Seattle Mariners step on the field during their three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles this week, they could be matched up against a player who will be their teammate in less than two months.

And that means M’s fans might want to pay extra close attention Orioles first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn, too.

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In a early MLB trade deadline preview column published on ESPN.com Tuesday morning, MLB insider Jeff Passan identified O’Hearn as the best fit going into the July 31 trade deadline for the Mariners, who he listed first under the “Acquirers” category.

It was great timing because the Orioles, who off to a very disappointing 22-36 start, begin a series in Seattle at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday night, and Passan joins Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk at 8:30 a.m. each Tuesday during the baseball season. Naturally, Passan was asked why O’Hearn makes so much sense for the Mariners.

There are a few reasons.

“We have seen their first base production this year – it is not great, and they need another bopper in that lineup,” Passan said of the Mariners. “And the notion that O’Hearn, who is batting .320-something this year, on-base over .400, slug over .500, (there is) the fact that you can add him and that it’s not going to be a truly exceptional cost because he is an impending free agent.”

Entering Monday, Mariners first basemen this season have a combined slash line of .192/.261/.347 for a .608 OPS – all numbers that rank 26th or lower out of the 30 MLB teams. O’Hearn, meanwhile, has a .329/.416/.535 slash for a .951 OPS with nine home runs. He ranks sixth in MLB batting average, fifth in on-base, 13th in slugging and seventh in OPS. And as Passan pointed out, the 31 year old will be a free agent after this season, which should keep the Orioles from asking for too much in a trade knowing he would be a rental for the acquiring team.

“The Orioles understand (that) for rental players, there’s only so much you can ask for,” Passan said. “This is lining up very nicely for the Mariners to have options and possibilities, and I think they’re going to be aggressive. I think they’re going to go out there and I think they’re going to get a bat that the fans like and appreciate, and I think if they don’t, that will be a tremendous disappointment.”

ESPN's Jeff Passan highlights one name he believes is a fit for the #Mariners heading into the trade deadline.@TheMikeSalk x @BrockHuard

FULL VIDEO 📺: https://t.co/aOwOJKfIYO pic.twitter.com/tagtd6vm50

— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) June 3, 2025

Making the move

The question is, with the Mariners in a fight for the AL West title against the Houston Astros and a farm system loaded with the most top 100 prospects in baseball, what would Seattle be willing to part with to get O’Hearn?

“I wish I had a better read on what the value for someone like O’Hearn is going to be,” Passan said. “Would the Mariners give up (No. 36 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline) Laz Montes for a rental? Would they give up (No. 66 overall prospect) Harry Ford for a rental? That’s tough. That’s tough, but at the same time, how much do you want to win? That’s what the Orioles are banking on, which is why they’re gonna push for good guys early, and the Mariners are going to say no. And it just becomes a staring contest at that point.”

Another factor, according to Passan, is that the Mariners shouldn’t have too much competition in looking for a first baseman specifically. But O’Hearn hits enough to be an everyday designated hitter, and he’s played just as often in right field as first base this season.

“There are not a whole lot of teams out there that are contending that are in need of a great first baseman,” he said. “… This is to say, the market for first baseman isn’t all that profound. But also some of these teams have DH slots that would love Ryan O’Hearn in there, would love (Arizona’s) Josh Naylor in there. So there is going to be some competition at least for these bats.”

Hear Tuesday’s full conversation with ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan in the video at the top of this post or the podcast player below. Catch Brock and Salk from 6-10 a.m. weekdays live on Seattle Sports.

More from Passan: What the M’s trade deadline push hinges on

More on the Seattle Mariners

• Mariners MILB Moves: A trade, a signing and a release
• Mariners’ Cal Raleigh – who else? – named co-AL Player of the Week
• Randy Johnson reflects on Mariners retiring his No. 51 in 2026
• The Mariners’ next big prospect decision is more complicated
• With Astros vulnerable, can Seattle Mariners dethrone them in AL West?

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