‘Thank you Kansas City!’ Ryan O’Hearn writes farewell message after trade from Royals
There was always a chance that Ryan O’Hearn could have returned to the Royals despite being designated for assignment by the club last week.
It’s not unheard of for a player to agree to a minor-league deal with a team that let him go, and that could have been a path back to Kauffman Stadium for O’Hearn.
Instead, the Royals traded O’Hearn to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.
O’Hearn, a first baseman/outfielder, could be back at The K this summer, but it would be in the orange-and-black of the Orioles.
Although he received criticism from Royals supporters, O’Hearn shared a farewell message to fans and his former teammates.
“I have nothing but love and respect for the entire @Royals organization,” O’Hearn wrote on Twitter. “There are countless people in Kansas City that I will forever be grateful for— coaches, front office, fans, and especially my teammates over the years. Thank you Kansas City!
“— Brohearn”
O’Hearn led Major League Baseball with 11 pinch hits last season. Overall, O’Hearn batted .239 with a .290 on-base percentage in 67 games with the Royals in 2022.
This story was originally published January 4, 2023 at 8:59 AM.
