The long drawn out free agent process is over.
And we are not talking about Trevor Bauer’s. No, of course we are talking about the Atlanta Braves resigning Marcell Ozuna to presumably be the everyday left fielder for the Atlanta Braves for the next few seasons.
It was a lengthy process no doubt, and many wondered over the last few weeks if we were going to see him depart us, similar to that of Josh Donaldson last year.
However, here it is a few weeks before spring training is set to begin and the Atlanta Braves have confirmed that they have brought back the big slugger back.
#Braves Sign OF Marcell Ozuna: pic.twitter.com/z1j5jbCAdG
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) February 6, 2021
The early details of the contract are that it is a 4 year deal worth $65 million, and has some sort of an option (update: it seems to be a club option) to raise it to a 5 year $80 million deal. As of writing this, no further details have been put out there as far as the yearly breakdown.
Most fans will be happy with this news despite the fact that it seems likely that the Atlanta Braves and the rest of the national league will be without the services of a designated hitter in the upcoming 2021 season.
Many folks, myself included, were willing to sacrifice a potential year of subpar defense to have the bat of Ozuna back in the middle of the lineup. After all, glancing over twitter in the middle of the abbreviated 2020 season, and most were already backing up the brinks truck to Ozuna’s home.
Fortunately for us, it seems after a long staredown, the Atlanta Braves front office agreed with the majority and said the fit is simply too good to pass up.
With Ozuna coming off the board, the free agent market is incredibly thin of above-average players. A couple still linger, but most of the heavy hitters are now assigned to a club.
It will be interesting to see where the Atlanta Braves go to now, as it seems the bullpen still needs tinkering, but the major question is will the Braves fully hand the keys to Austin Riley to start the year?
It seems Freddie Freeman is happy as well.
😂 love this!! Let’s go! https://t.co/GczzavGqwC
— Freddie Freeman (@FreddieFreeman5) February 6, 2021
Hopefully Ozuna can replicate the success he had over the course of the 2020 season, and hopefully it allows Freddie Freeman to have another MVP type season as well.
The 2020 Atlanta Braves selfie king is officially back. Let us know in the comment section below if this is what the Braves needed and if they still have work to do.