Just when the Rafael Devers drama seemed to have cooled off, the Boston Red Sox find themselves in another predicament.
With Triston Casas and Romy Gonzalez on the injured list, and Devers refusing to pick up a glove again and take over at first base, the club needs a different solution to the gap in their infield. While it may not be a huge problem initially, Casas’ loaded injury history makes it risky to trust that he’ll come back and produce. And the Red Sox, currently 22-21 and out of a playoff spot, can’t afford to lose more ground in a hungry American League.
A Divisional Foe May Have the Answer
Instead of looking for help from within, the Boston Red Sox can call one of the few teams that already seem out of the hunt for October. The Baltimore Orioles have been a massive disappointment, following up two postseason appearances with a total dud of a start to 2025. The O’s sit at 15-24, the second-worst record in the AL. Their starting pitching has been atrocious (5.55 ERA, third-worst in MLB), and most of their hitting core has gone silent at the plate.
An exception to that is Ryan O’Hearn, who leads Baltimore with a .303 average and .951 OPS. He already has seven home runs after hitting 15 all of last season. O’Hearn is in the final year of his current contract. Nonetheless, the O’s still have Ryan Mountcastle under control through 2026, so it’d be wise for them to explore trade options – even if it’s with one of their hated rivals.
O’Hearn Can Fill Multiple Roles
O’Hearn has experience as a first baseman and a corner outfielder, making him a valuable addition beyond the Boston Red Sox’s immediate need. He had about a 50/50 split between DH-ing and playing first last season, with a handful of games in the outfield thrown in.
If Casas does come back healthy for a good chunk of the summer, then O’Hearn can fill in whenever he, Jarren Durran, or Wilyer Abreu need a day off. If he keeps up his strong start, he could challenge Durran for more consistent playing time in left.
O’Hearn’s only downside is his lack of power against left-handed pitching. While his average doesn’t drop much, the rate of strong contact does. Still, Fenway’s dimensions could work to his advantage – he drives the ball well the other way.
Baltimore’s Price Should Be Reasonable
With several other impending free agents, such as Cedric Mullins, to also offer away, the O’s probably won’t be asking for too much with O’Hearn. He may be a good hitter, having a great start, but not many teams need first base help.
What Baltimore has proven it desperately needs is more pitching depth. With Zach Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez injured and the Charlie Morton experiment a failure, it’s clear they need more cost-controlled arms. Boston meanwhile has its rotation largely set for the next few years, so they can offer up one of their lower-rated pitching prospects.
Red Sox Trade Proposal Adds First Base Fix From Struggling Division Rival