One of the biggest questions remaining in the Atlanta Braves' offseason is whether or not Marcell Ozuna will be retained. The aging slugger has had an incredibly up-and-down tenure, with last season's results reflecting this. All of the power numbers for Ozuna slipped in the wrong direction while the hitter managed only a .232 average. Whether this was due to aging, natural regression, or a result of a hip injury that Ozuna battled throughout the season is up for debate. While bringing back a hitter that drove in over 100 runners in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons is tempting, it would clearly be the wrong decision.
This is a piece of who Ozuna is. Look back at the 2021 season when the slugger struggled to hit above the Mendoza line and wasn't anything close to reliable at the plate. It was a year cut short by suspension that bled into the 2022 season, where the Braves remained patient, yet frustrated, with continually dipping numbers.
It was patience that was rewarded over the next two years with the previously mentioned RBI numbers and an average reflective of incredible improvement. Still, the story of Ozuna's time in Atlanta will be one of incredible inconsistency with high highs and low lows that the Braves cannot afford to bring back for the 2026 season.
Braves Cannot Entertain Bringing Back Inconsistent Slugger Marcell Ozuna for 2026 Season
The Braves already have offensive questions at shortstop, second, and in left field with Jurickson Profar. What you're going to get from these positions remains a bit of a mystery. You cannot sign up for another question mark at the DH spot, and a player who brings zero defensive flexibility to the Atlanta roster.
Ozuna's days in the field are far behind him, limiting the veteran's value to the energy he brings in the clubhouse and production at the plate. These two things combined don't add up to enough predictable production to warrant bringing back a player that has been inconsistently important to Atlanta's lineup over the last five seasons.
It is time for the Braves to turn the page and be willing to spend what it takes to bring in a reliable option at the position. The flip side of this could be Atlanta opting to keep the plus-defense of Sean Murphy consistently in the lineup and putting standout young hitter Drake Baldwin in at the DH slot.
Regardless of who, it has grown increasingly clear that the Braves need to move on from Ozuna and at least attempt to find a superior answer. The consistency issues have been far too glaring during the slugger's tenure to continue to ignore. It is time for the Braves to make a change and move on from the aging Ozuna.