Rays Seen as Best Fit for All-Star Slugger in Free Agency This Winter

Which player in free agency could be a good fit for the Tampa Bay Rays this winter?

Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

With the offseason right around the corner for the Tampa Bay Rays, the franchise figures to be looking to make some improvements to the roster in order to get back into contention in 2026. 

Despite finishing well under the .500 mark in 2025, the Rays were a better team than their record indicated. Tampa Bay ranked right in the middle of the pack in terms of a lot of major statistical categories, but the team unfortunately had a bad summer with an unbalanced schedule. 

Heading into the winter, there are a couple of areas that the team might look to make some upgrades. What could be interesting for the team is that they might add some players while dealing a couple of their veterans heading into the final year of their deals. 

This is a somewhat uncommon practice, but one that can make a lot of sense when done correctly. That is what the Rays will be trying to do this winter, and there is one player who could be a strong fit for the team. Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the Rays being one of the top fits this winter for slugger Ryan O’Hearn. 

Why O’Hearn Makes Sense

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It was a fantastic 2025 campaign for O’Hearn, who was named to the American League All-Star team with the Baltimore Orioles prior to being dealt to the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline. Last season, he slashed .281/.366/.437 with 17 home runs and 63 RBI in 144 games played. 

The All-Star slugger was able to have a strong year with both the Orioles and the Padres, but a majority of his strong work came with Baltimore. O’Hearn is best suited to be getting most of his at-bats against right-handed pitching but does provide some defensive flexibility with the ability to play first base and the outfield. 

Even though he was an All-Star performer in 2025, O’Hearn likely won’t be getting a massive contract this winter. Something in the range of two years and $24 million, as mentioned by Bowden, seems fair. That is undoubtedly a number that the Rays can get to, and O’Hearn could be a great replacement if they look to deal Yandy Diaz this winter. 

With Jonathan Aranda likely to be the starting first baseman in 2026, O’Hearn’s potential role with the Rays would likely be at designated hitter or perhaps in the outfield a bit. Coming off such a strong year, the 32-year-old would be a nice addition for Tampa Bay.