Ryan O'Hearn is having one of the better seasons of his career. The Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman has 11 home runs, 65 hits, and 41 RBIs through the first half of the 2026 season. His OPS sits at .780. None of that has translated into All-Star votes.
According to Yahoo Sports, O'Hearn currently does not rank among the top vote-getters at any of the three positions he has played this season, including first base, right field, and designated hitter. Teammates Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz are both receiving more All-Star support. Cruz has spent time on the injured list and still sits in the top 20 among outfield vote-getters. O'Hearn is nowhere in that conversation.
The Pirates signed O'Hearn to a two-year, $29 million contract in January, the largest free-agent hitting contract in franchise history. It was also the first multi-year free-agent deal the club had handed out in a decade. The signing drew attention at the time. His performance since has been steady, if not loud.
Pittsburgh finished near the bottom of the league in home runs and runs scored in 2025. In 2026, that has changed. O'Hearn has been part of that turnaround. He set a career high on June 17 when he drove in six runs against the Athletics in a single game.
Manager Don Kelly was enthusiastic about O'Hearn when the signing was made. Kelly pointed specifically to how O'Hearn had rebuilt his career after a difficult stretch. "The resiliency that he showed in that moment of going from being DFA'd to starting in th" — the full quote was not available, but Kelly made clear he viewed O'Hearn as a potential difference-maker for the club.
O'Hearn made the American League All-Star team last season as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, starting at designated hitter. His numbers in 2026 are on pace with what he produced in that All-Star campaign.
Beyond the statistics, O'Hearn has taken on a veteran leadership role in what is described as a young Pittsburgh clubhouse. That kind of presence is usually associated with a player at the end of a career. At 32, O'Hearn does not fit that description. He is still producing at a high level while also providing stability for younger players around him.
The All-Star voting deadline will determine whether O'Hearn gets recognized by fans this season. His current numbers suggest he would have a case regardless of where the votes land.
