The Atlanta Braves have a difficult decision to make when it comes to filling the DH position during the 2026 offseason. Veteran slugger Marcell Ozuna is slated to hit free agency and is coming off an incredibly rough 2025 campaign. While Ozuna played through a hip injury, the issues he faced were far too persistent throughout his tenure to consider re-signing him. The Braves need to be willing to pull out their wallet and spend what it takes to get a force in the middle of what remains a talented lineup.
Ozuna only batted .232 with declining power numbers and incredibly poor situational hitting. It gave the franchise flashbacks to who the hitter had been before a two-year tear that helped carry the offense during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. However, the season and a half before this, Ozuna's lack of consistency was so frustrating that it appeared the Braves would be forced to swallow the contract and move in another direction. With this in mind, Ozuna is a risk you cannot willingly sign up for when there are clearly superior options remaining on the market.
It is Time for the Braves to Officially Turn the Page on Aging Slugger Marcell Ozuna
Not only is the offensive performance a question mark at this point, but at this late stage of Ozuna's career, there is zero potential value in having him in the field. You never want to see Ozuna put in the outfield, with it only being an option in the case of an absolute emergency. It would be ideal to have a DH capable of playing at least one position or offering more offensive upside.
Leading to two prestige free agents in Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso, who are both worth at least picking up the phone from Atlanta's perspective. Either give you the ability to play a level of defense if needed, and have had far more consistent offensive resumes over the last year.
Regardless of who, it remains clear the Braves need to be willing to spend and do whatever it takes to land an impact hitter that Ozuna wasn't over the last year. There isn't the needed level of consistency to sign back up for potentially the same struggles if the front office is serious about turning the page away from a tough 2025 season.
Ozuna will be appreciated and remembered for an incredible two-year tear and the energy and light he brought to the dugout. While losing this presence is an undeniable downside of moving on, the injury and offensive concerns outweigh the value of any potential re-signing.