Atlanta Braves: Marcell Ozuna has options this offseason
By David Hill
Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna already has plenty of options for a landing spot this offseason.
During the previous offseason, Marcell Ozuna had to settle for a one year deal worth $18 million from the Atlanta Braves. While he was looking for a long term commitment, no teams were willing to meet his demands. Instead, with that one year deal, he had a chance to return to the market, potentially earning that coveted long term deal if he performed well in Atlanta.
That gamble paid off for both Ozuna and the Braves. Now that he is back in free agency, Ozuna has plenty of suitors lining up for his services.
No less than 10 teams, including the Braves, have showed interest in Marcell Ozuna, who led the NL with 18 home runs and 56 RBI and finished 6th in MVP voting. Interest comes from both leagues but it can’t hurt that the universal DH is on the horizon.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 13, 2020
While there is a thought that Ozuna is essentially a designated hitter at this point in his career, that is not necessarily the case. He did make 21 appearances in the outfield for the Braves, saving two runs in his 145 innings in left. Ozuna may not be a Gold Glove caliber outfielder, but he has been solid defensively.
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He was everything the Braves had hoped for in 2020. Ozuna posted an excellent .338/.431/.636 batting line in his 267 plate appearances, leading the National League with 18 homers and 56 RBI. That effort led to a sixth place finish in the NL MVP balloting and a Silver Slugger award.
It also appears that Ozuna’s performance will lead to far more in free agency. The Braves have stated their desire to have him return to the lineup, although he may typically be outside of their price range. However, given their team friendly extensions to players such as Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr. they should be able to find a way to fit Ozuna into their budget.
The problem, at least for Atlanta, is that they will have plenty of competition for his services. The impending universal designated hitter opens his market, and there are plenty of teams that could use an impact bat in the middle of their lineup. If Ozuna can replicate his production from 2020, he could be a game changer.
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Marcell Ozuna appears as though he will be getting paid. The question is whether or not the Atlanta Braves will be able to fend off a multitude of other suitors to retain his services.