-1745819772711.png){kind=logo}
NEW YORK – The next update on All-Star voting is a few days away and Ryan O’Hearn should maintain his lead among designated hitters in the American League. Teammates are pulling for him, believing that he’s earned the honor and wanting him to be rewarded for grinding and persevering through the difficult times in his career. And they know that the Rafael Devers trade from the Red Sox to Giants has improved the odds.
O’Hearn is too modest to campaign for it. Other players will do it for him.
“He’s 1,000 percent deserving,” said shortstop Gunnar Henderson. “He’s just been unbelievable this first half of the season. He’s been one of the best hitters in baseball. It’s really cool to watch him do his thing and really cool to see where he is now through the journey that he’s had in baseball, and there’s no one more deserving than him.”
Last night’s lineup didn’t include O’Hearn, who went 2-for-13 in four games against the Rays in Tampa and would have faced Yankees left-hander Max Fried. He pinch-hit in the eighth inning and singled to leave his average at .304 with an .867 OPS.
The first vote reveal on Monday showed O’Hearn with 353,029 to lead the Yankees’ Ben Rice (232,331) and the White Sox’s Mike Tauchman (177,483). He was a finalist last year but lost to the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez.
“I thought he got snubbed last year, quite frankly, so for him to be in first this year, I’m fired up for him,” said Jordan Westburg. “He deserves it, more than anybody that comes to my mind. And I’m not just saying that because I’m around him every day.
“I kind of get to see what goes on behind the scenes and how much work he puts in, how much he actually cares, how hard he is on himself. Just in my experience of being around other dudes at any level, it’s pretty bar none. So I think he deserves it. He’s played extremely well, as the stats show, and what’s not seen is what he’s done for this clubhouse through a pretty tough start of the year for the rest of the guys. Can’t say enough good about him.”
Getting to Atlanta would make O’Hearn one of the more fascinating All-Star stories. The Royals traded him for cash on Jan. 3, 2023 and the Orioles designated him for assignment two days to make room again for first baseman Lewin Díaz on the 40-man roster.
Díaz hasn’t played in the majors since 2022 and is in Korea. O’Hearn could be in Truist Park on July 15.
“One hundred percent deserving,” said Jackson Holliday. “He’s had an awesome year. The way that he’s kind of battled throughout his career is obviously very inspiring, and for him to finally get the credit that he deserves is awesome. I know I’m really happy for him and everyone in his locker room is pumped for him. We’re lucky to have him.”
O’Hearn’s leadership skills get mentioned almost as much as his hitting.
“Very important,” Holliday said. “We love O. He’s kind of the steady hand, and his intensity and competitiveness is definitely something that leaks into everybody. He’s a very important part of this team.”
How he leads is mostly by example.
“His hard work and his work ethic,” Westburg said. “It’s impossible to deny that and to see somebody go about their business that way and not want to step it up and bring your best effort to the plate every single day. I think he’s been more vocal than he was last year. I don’t think he’s ever the rah-rah kind of vocal, but he’s vocal in a way that demands people’s respect when he speaks, and I think that comes from him doing it and not only saying it.”
Henderson started at shortstop last year and was chosen to participate in the Home Run Derby. The first round of balloting this week had him in seventh place.
“I’d love to (go),” he said. “Definitely be a goal of mine cause it would be the closest All-Star Game in my hometown. Just got to go out there and continue to play well, but I’m just gonna go out there and help the team win cause that’s my No. 1 goal is to keep winning games for this team and get into playoff contention.”
Henderson came off the bench last night in the eighth inning and extended his hitting streak to 14 games, tying his career high, with a run-scoring single. He’s slashing .408/.491/.531 (20-for-49) during that stretch.
Henderson is batting .337/.422/.426 (34-for-101) in his last 28 games since May 21, but he’s hit only one home run.
“The power and the home runs are gonna pop here at some point, and when it does, it’s gonna be explosive,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino.
“They’re working hard in the cage. … Gunnar is 23 years old. Year I guess three-ish in the big leagues, three-plus. The league’s adjusting to him. Things change year to year. He’s showed me a ton of maturity right now. You look at the scoreboard, he’s having a good year, and he hasn’t even been himself yet. And that’s the crazy part. So at some point he’s really gonna become himself and it’s gonna look really nice on the scoreboard when he gets to that point.”
Henderson’s RBI single last night came in a left-on-left matchup. He keeps winning those, as well.
“It’s one of the best players in baseball, regardless of who he’s going to face,” Mansolino said. “We knew (Tim) Hill, they had him up earlier for a similar type situation. You go (Luis) Vázquez against the righty who was in, or we go Gunnar against a really tough lefty, and we’re going to bet on our guy every time. And it worked out. It doesn’t always work out, but it did tonight.”
