The biggest question is about the pending free agency of starting pitcher Max Fried – the lefty, who turned 30 this offseason, is expected to be one of the most highly sought-after free agents in the upcoming class, given the relative lack of frontline starting options available in free agency each offseason.
But right behind Fried’s free agency is another significant roster-related decision to make: what to do with designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.
This season is the final guaranteed under a four-year, $65M contract that he signed after his Silver Slugger season of 2020, a year in which he led all of MLB in plate appearances (267) and led the National League in homers (18), RBIs (56), and total bases (145).
The first two years of the deal looked to be a rare miss for president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos after Ozuna hit a combined .222 with a .397 slugging and playing in only 172 combined games due to both injuries and off-field issues. But the last two seasons are validating the decision, with “the Big Bear” swatting 49 homers and putting up a .284 average.
After last night’s 2 RBI night, Ozuna leads all of Major League Baseball in RBIs (31) and the National League in homers (9) while putting team highs in all three slashline categories (.344/.416/.678). He told David O’Brien of The Athletic that he hoped to sign an extension that would keep him Atlanta beyond this season, the last guaranteed year of his deal. “Yeah, there’s no way you want to go explore somewhere else when you feel comfortable, when you’ve got your teammates and you’ve got your organization’s love,” Ozuna told O’Brien. “There’s no doubt in my decision. I don’t want to go anywhere else.”
(The Braves do hold a one year, $16M club option for Ozuna with a $1M buyout, an option that feels virtually certain to be picked up based on where we sit right now.)
Should the Braves go ahead and commit to an extension for Ozuna? Let’s break down the case for each decision.
Why Atlanta should re-sign Marcell Ozuna
Bringing back Ozuna comes down to two things – his on-field production and what he’s done for the clubhouse.
The on-field case is the easiest to make: Since May 1st of 2023, when Ozuna turned around a dreadful start (.085 w/ .397 OPS) with a monster series in his offseason home of Miami against the Marlins, Ozuna’s been one of the best hitters in all of baseball. His combined stat line is an absurd .305/.375/.615, with his 47 homers over that span coming in tied for 2nd with Philly’s Kyle Schwarber (and just behind teammate Matt Olson).
And unlike most of MLB’s best hitters, Ozuna’s been doing this on a daily basis from the designated hitter spot, essentially getting four pinch-hit appearances per game. It’s something that not every player can do, as Braves players will tell you. “It takes getting used to,” Austin Riley admitted back in early April. “Just from being constantly locked into the game; I feel like playing defense, you’re in the game, with the flow of the game. And being a DH, you may sit for 45 minutes until you get your next turn. So, it takes a special someone to be a DH.”
Any argument about committing more guaranteed money for Ozuna starts with his on-field production, which has been spectacular, but that’s not the only area in which the veteran from the Dominican Republic has provided value to the organization.
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