It seems only a matter of time until the Atlanta Braves trade designated hitter Marcell Ozuna. The aging slugger is enduring a frustrating season, but could be a tempting addition for the right contender. The Braves are showing they are more than willing to move on, having benched Ozuna in favor of keeping both Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin in the lineup. It is a move that is long overdue for a struggling lineup. With the season already lost, giving Baldwin as many reps as possible to continue to grow is incredibly important.
This has led to obvious trade speculation that most recently had Ozuna landing with the San Diego Padres. But a Braves insider has come out to pour cold water on that buzz.
The Braves and Padres Haven't Yet Reached a Deal for Marcell Ozuna
Mark Bowman of MLB.com was clear in contradicting the idea that the Padres are closing in on a deal for Ozuna. Not only did Bowman say a deal isn't close to getting done, but according to the reporter's sources, there aren't any discussions currently being held between the two sides. San Diego did make a level of sense as a landing spot, but it would be better if the Braves were able to send the slugger to an American League team.
According to my sources, the Braves and Padres haven't had any discussions of any kind about Marcell Ozuna. https://t.co/LbsLgovbff
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 23, 2025
The Padres not only eliminated the Braves from the postseason a year ago, but they also made sure this season got off to an incredibly awful start. San Diego's sweep of the Braves to begin the year started an 0-7 slide. It dug a hole the Braves were never able to climb out of and has left the team in its current misery. Even with true responsibility for how the season has gone, not landing on the Padres for this, it is less than ideal to help a recent source of frustration.
Dealing Ozuna appears inevitable and will help the team turn the page to next season. However, the ideal fit is going to be in the American League or with a team not directly responsible for eliminating the Braves from the postseason. One potential landing spot could be in Detroit with a Tigers team that lacks an established veteran presence.
The difficulty in finding a deal remains the fact Ozuna is struggling to the point of being removed from an underwhelming Atlanta lineup. Much of this has been blamed on the slugger's attempts to play through a hip injury. No matter the reasoning, there is no denying it is going to be difficult to trade Ozuna and expect anything of note in return.