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- MLB trade deadline: Orioles reportedly trade slugger Ryan O'Hearn, Ramón Laureano to Padres</p>
<p>Chris CwikJuly 31, 2025 at 11:27 PM</p>
<p>One of the more coveted power bats on the free-agent market has found a new home. Baltimore Orioles slugger Ryan O'Hearn was dealt to the San Diego Padres on Thursday, along with outfielder Ramón Laureano, per multiple reports.</p>
<p>In return, Baltimore reportedly receives a slew of Padres prospects — six in total, per MLB Network's Jon Morosi. Pitchers Boston Bateman, Tyson Neighbors and Tanner Smith, infielders Cobb Hightower and Brandon Butterworth, and infielder/outfielder Victor Figueroa will all join the Orioles as part of the deal.</p>
<p>It's the latest move in what has been a very busy trade deadline for Padres general manager and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller. Prior to picking up O'Hearn and Laureano, Preller acquired catcher Freddy Fermin, closer Mason Miller and starter J.P. Sears earlier on Thursday.</p>
<p>BREAKING: The San Diego Padres are acquiring All-Star slugger Ryan O'Hearn and OF Ramón Laureano from the Baltimore Orioles, per @ByRobertMurray and @JeffPassan. pic.twitter.com/1247MIpXCt</p>
<p>— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 31, 2025</p>
<p>O'Hearn, 31, is enjoying arguably the best season of his career. The slugging first baseman and designated hitter is slashing .284/.375/.452 with 12 home runs. That performance earned O'Hearn his first All-Star nod in July. He started the contest for the American League, going 0 for 2 in the National League's win.</p>
<p>It has been quite a road for O'Hearn to reach this point. After an excellent rookie season with the Kansas City Royals in 2018, in which he slashed .262/.353/.597 in 44 games, O'Hearn saw his numbers crater. He hit just .211/.282/.351 over his next four seasons, and it looked like his major-league career was in jeopardy.</p>
<p>But a 2023 trade to the Orioles resurrected his bat. Utilized as a platoon player, O'Hearn hit .275/.329/.450 in his first two years in Baltimore, and his slugging numbers might've been better over that period if not for the Orioles' raised outfield wall in 2024. The team reverted that change for the 2025 season, and then O'Hearn's home slugging numbers took a big step forward.</p>
<p>As for Laureano, this marks the third straight year the right fielder has been traded midseason. After time with the Cleveland Guardians and Atlanta Braves last year, Laureano signed a one-year deal with Baltimore in the offseason.</p>
<p>The outfielder has a .290 batting average and .884 OPS in 259 plate appearances this year, putting him on pace for a career season.</p>
<p>O'Hearn was far from the biggest name on this year's trade market. Eugenio Suarez, Josh Naylor and even Luis Robert Jr. have overshadowed O'Hearn's production in recent seasons. But of that group, only Suarez has a higher wRC+ in 2025. Because of that, O'Hearn could prove to be an underrated trade-deadline acquisition.</p>
<p>If O'Hearn's production can carry over to the Padres, he stands to benefit quite a bit. He'll be a free agent at the end of this season and could earn himself a significant payday if he can continue to excel in the NL West.</p>
<p>BASEBALL BAR-B-CAST @YahooSports TRADE DEADLINE REACTION SPECIALGOING LIVE AT 5:30 PM ET ON THURSDAY (maybe they are waiting to do all the trades for our pod? thanks, baseball teams!)https://t.co/Ms0zE8RCtdpic.twitter.com/8N6H8jK7MB</p>
<p>— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) July 30, 2025</p>
<p>What to make of the Padres' latest blockbuster?</p>
<p>AJ Preller has never seen a big trade he didn't like, and that continued Thursday. After acquiring closer Mason Miller and starter J.P. Sears at the beginning of the day, Preller took care of his team's other needs, adding both outfielder Ramon Laureano and first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn from the Baltimore Orioles.</p>
<p>O'Hearn was one of the best hitters in the American League this season, and while he doesn't have the power of some other DHs, his strength is his ability to get on base at a high clip. He gives San Diego a player who can be extremely productive at the DH spot.</p>
<p>And Laureano is the perfect fit in left field for the Padres. San Diego has been looking for anyone to take its left-field job, and finally they have a player who not only can field the position well but also has grown into a strong player offensively. The new Padres outfielder is a reverse-splits guy, ranking 13th in MLB with a .930 OPS against right-handed pitching. — Dorsey</p>
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Source: "AOL Sports"
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