A Ryan O’Hearn trade for Mariners ‘should not break the bank’

After a strong start to the season, the Seattle Mariners are reeling.

The club has fallen from first place in the AL West to three games back of the Astros amid a 5-12 slide dating back to when it lost a four-game series to Houston in late May.

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According to the Fangraphs, the Mariners still have a 52.3 % chance to make the playoffs, but the odds have dwindled over the past couple of weeks. With George Kirby showing a huge sign of progress with a career-high 14 strikeouts in his last outing and Logan Gilbert potentially returning soon, though, there is some hope the pitching staff can help stabilize the club and keep it in buying position when deals start happening before the July 31 trade deadline.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently highlighted Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan O’Hearn as an ideal trade target for the M’s during a conversation with Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. On Tuesday, Yahoo Sports writer Jake Mintz echoed the sentiment to Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.

“No matter when you watch this team, they always feel like they’re just one or two more adult hitters away,” said Mintz, who also co-hosts Baseball Bar-B-Cast with frequent Seattle Sports guest Jordan Shusterman. “Now I think that they are gonna be fairly aggressive at the deadline this year and will go out and add a bat. I think first base is kind of an obvious place to go and do that. Baltimore’s Ryan O’Hearn feels like a really comfy fit there.”

The price tag for O’Hearn

First base has been a troublesome spot for the Mariners both offensively and defensively this season.

The club ranks 28th in batting average (.195), on-base percentage (.260) and wOBA (.271), and 25th in wRC+ (78) at first base. It’s also tied for 27th in defensive runs saved (minus-5) and tied for 24th in outs above average (minus-4).

O’Hearn, a left-handed hitter, could help solidify both of those fronts. He’s sporting a career-best .316/.397/.500 slash line with nine home runs and a 158 wRC+ that is tied for 10th in the majors. He’s also posted two outs above average in a small sample of 17 games at first base this season and was an above average defender at the position in 2022 and 2023.

O’Hearn, who is in the final year of club control, also brings a little bit of versatility with ability to play the corner outfield spots. And he’s playing on an Orioles team that’s trending towards selling at the deadline after a disappointing 26-38 start.

Mintz sees this year’s trade deadline as a seller’s market, but he doesn’t believe O’Hearn would come with a hefty price tag.

“He’s a first baseman with 2 1/2 months of control – two months, 2 1/2 if you make the playoffs,” Mintz said. “… O’Hearn is someone who should not break the bank as far as prospects go.”

Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Listen to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app. 

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