Ryan O'Hearn Has Been Pirates Biggest Blow
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have missed many of their best hitters this season, but Ryan O'Hearn may be their biggest loss.
O'Hearn is currently out with a left quad strain that has kept him out all of August, and he is out for at least the next couple of weeks.
The Pirates haven't had the same success without O'Hearn, and they need a great September to really make a run at the postseason.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said on The Pirates Insider Show on 93.7 The Fan that O'Hearn will start his rehab assignment in the next 10 days or so, and his return would be a big boost at the plate and for the team as a whole.
What Pirates Have Missed From O'Hearn
O'Hearn suffered his latest injury in one of the Pirates' worst losses in 2026, as they blew a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 31.
He tried to beat out a ground ball in the ninth inning to start a comeback, but pulled up limping and needed the Pirates' medical staff/manager Don Kelly to carry him off the field.
The Pirates lost three out of four games against the Reds, did the same in the next series vs. the Milwaukee Brewers on the road and struggled finding consistency after his injury.
Pittsburgh has gone 11-15 in August and is 66-71 overall and 6.5 games back in the National League Wild Card race.
The Pirates did get Spencer Horwitz back from his left hamstring injury and concussion after O'Hearn's injury, which should've at least lessened the loss of production.
Horwitz has struggled massively since returning, batting .147/.220/.160 with an OPS of .380, a huge drop-off from his first half slash line of .280/.386/.455 with an OPS of .841.
It also doesn't help that the Pirates' offense, as a whole, has been one of the worst in baseball after the All-Star break, thanks to other injuries and top players not producing.
How Pirates Will Benefit From O'Hearn's Return
The Pirates need O'Hearn back, as he was one of their best hitters before his injury, especially at the All-Star break.
O'Hearn hit .288/.351/.487 for an OPS of .838 in the first half of 2026, with 88 hits, 13 doubles, 16 home runs and 63 RBI, playing a big role in one of the best offenses in baseball.
His best game came when he hit three home runs and drove in 10 RBIs, the first player in Pirates history and just 11th in MLB history to do so, in the 12-4 win over the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park on July 7.
O'Hearn's presence in the lineup benefits the Pirates, and his return comes after rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin comes back from his left ring finger sagittal band injury.
The Pirates will have almost their entire lineup healthy once O'Hearn returns, aside from catcher Endy Rodríguez, who underwent season-ending hip surgery.
O'Hearn also brings veteran leadership to the Pirates and is a big voice in the clubhouse, something a team always needs, especially in tough moments.
The only concern for O'Hearn was his hitting in the second half before his injury, .170/.237/.264 for an OPS of .501, which the Pirates hope won't continue with his return.
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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.