Pirates' Ryan O'Hearn Hits IL With Quad Injury
In a season where so much has gone right for the Pittsburgh Pirates' Ryan O'Hearn, he was visibly frustrated in the clubhouse following his removal from Saturday's game.
O'Hearn left the game after fielding a pop-up in the second inning of the team's 6-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The 32-year-old raced in towards home plate, but had to make an awkward move around the batter, Alec Bohm, to make the catch in foul territory. After trying to walk off the injury, O'Hearn was removed and replaced with third baseman Jared Triolo for the remainder of the game.
Following the game, O'Hearn spoke with reporters and was optimistic, but the frustration was evident in his voice.
"It felt like the very top of my quad/hip flexor grab on me, big time, and I immediately knew that felt weird. I went inside the dugout, came out to hit, and tried to jog after the pop-fly. I felt it, tried to go back out for the inning, but every time I tried to do more than a walk or slow jog, my leg was grabbing on me."
"I'm optimistic. It's frustrating, so, we'll see."
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) May 17, 2026
Ryan O'Hearn spoke after he left the game early with quad discomfort pic.twitter.com/KN5gCqwxop
O'Hearn was seen trying to work through the discomfort between innings, but ultimately, the decision was made to head back to the clubhouse for some testing. He underwent an MRI on his leg during the game, and on Sunday morning, the team announced that O'Hearn would be placed on the 10-Day IL.
In his first season with the Pirates, O'Hearn was enjoying a regular role in the lineup, splitting his time between first base and right field. In 44 games, he has posted an .832 OPS with seven home runs and 29 RBI. In 2025, O'Hearn started the year with the Baltimore Orioles, making his first MLB All-Star appearance for the American League. He was traded to the San Diego Padres as Baltimore fell out of contention, and signed a two-year deal with the Pirates in the offseason.
We have reinstated OF Jake Mangum from the 10-day injured list. OF/1B Ryan O'Hearn has been placed on the 10-Day injured list (right quad strain).
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 17, 2026
In a corresponding move, the Pirates activated outfielder Jake Magnum from the 10-Day IL. Magnum, who was out with a left hamstring strain, will take O'Hearn's spot on the 26-man roster.
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This story was originally published May 17, 2026 at 9:02 AM.