Pirates Slow Ryan O'Hearn Return Excitement
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates need their best hitters in their lineup and they'll hope to get Ryan O'Hearn back before the end of 2026.
O'Hearn is currently out with a left quad strain and hasn't played in August, on the 10-day injured list and working back to full fitness.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said on The Pirates Insider Show on 93.7 The Fan that while it's not likely that O'Hearn returns at the next homestand, but that he is still tracking towards sometime in the middle of September.
“That feels a little fast," Cherington said. "I think because of that injury, we got to be careful and not bring him back too soon, but he’s tracking positively. Still anticipate probably more towards the middle of the month, then the front part of the month, but he’s doing really well.”
When O'Hearn Will Return For Pirates
Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk noted that O'Hearn was still on the eight-week full-game activity timeline back on Aug. 17.
This projects O'Hearn for the middle-end of September, potentially the final homestand and last series vs. the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, Sept. 25-27.
It's the second soft tissue injury for O'Hearn, as he also dealt with a right quad muscle strain, that kept him out the last two weeks of May.
O'Hearn went down to Bradenton, Fla., this past weekend, as the Pirates started their West Coast road trip, where he is continuing his injury rehab.
He started light baseball activities, like playing catch and taking batting practice, so there is progress on that front.
O'Hearn is joined with rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin, who is dealing with a left ring finger sagittal band injury, with the two working together to get back to the Pirates.
Cherington noted the benefits for Pirates players going down to Bradenton, as they have better facilities and more time to focus on their injury rehab.
"The first priority is to get them back to the major league team healthy and we do this in Bradenton because the set-up allows for really consistent work," Cherington said. "Don't have to worry about travel. Don't have to worry about one cage on the road. Everything that has to get done gets done efficiently. So that's why they're in Bradenton now. It just makes the rehab faster."
The Pirates need O'Hearn back, who hit .270/.334/.454 for an OPS of .788 in 96 games, with 15 doubles, 17 home runs and 69 RBI, one of their best hitters before going down with his second injury this season.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.