The Royals announced they have traded first baseman Ryan O’Hearn to the Baltimore Orioles for cash considerations. O’Hearn was designated for assignment last week to make room for Jordan Lyles. Baltimore will now be responsible for O’Hearn’s $1.4 million contract that the Royals signed this fall.
The move ends O’Hearn’s five-year career with the Royals. Originally an eighth-round pick out of Sam Houston State, O’Hearn made his MLB debut in 2018. He was a sensation over 44 games in his initial season, smacking 12 home runs with good plate discipline and a line of .262/.353/.597. But he was never able to recapture that magic and hit just .