O’Hearn gives Orioles an All-Star starter

The Orioles will have a starter in the All-Star Game. Ryan O’Hearn beat out New York’s Ben Rice and will start at designated hitter for the American League in the July 15^th game at Atlanta’s Truist Park.

“I’ve been trying not to get my hopes up for the last month or so,” O’Hearn told reporters in Arlington, Texas. “To finally get the news today, I get to be a starter, I’m over the moon.”

O’Hearn, who had 78 percent to 22 percent for Rice, enters Wednesday game hitting .295 with an .854 OPS with 11 home runs and 30 RBIs. He led Rice after Phase 1 voting.

“It’s been such a journey in my career,” O’Hearn said. “For the majority of it, I never thought something like was in the cards. Still kind of shocked, humbled.”

O’Hearn came to the Orioles in 2023 after five lackluster seasons in Kansas City.

“Coming to Baltimore has been life-changing for me,” he said. “I spent a lot of time just trying to keep my head above water in the big leagues and stick around as long as I possibly could. To be able to say, I’m a major league All-Star, I’m blown away.”

Interim manager Tony Mansolino announced O’Hearn’s selection to the team.

“It’s an incredible story,” Mansolino told reporters in Arlington, Texas. “It’s really incredible.”

Jackson Holliday, who was the Orioles’ other finalist, did not beat out Gleyber Torres as the starter at second base. Torres had 66 percent of the vote to Holliday’s 34 percent.

Reserves for the All-Star Game will be announced on Sunday.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.