Before Jurickson Profar's strong push for the most hated player in franchise history, the most polarizing Atlanta Braves player in recent history was easily Marcell Ozuna. Not only did he have some of the best and absolute worst seasons in team history during his tenure, but he also proved to be an off-the-field liability after multiple arrests, including one for domestic violence. However, the Braves decided, for better or worse, that they were willing to put up with the bad also long as Ozuna was helping the team on the field.
However, once Ozuna stopped hitting and being a productive teammate, everything changed.
After making a decent run at NL NVP in 2024, Ozuna's bat cratered during his walk year. Many were clamoring for Atlanta to trade Ozuna at the deadline, although no deal ended up materializing. Somewhat surprisingly, given how long they stood by him, the Braves made next to no effort to re-sign Ozuna, and his offseason market was eerily quiet. Now his new team, the Pirates, is finding out exactly what the Braves and their fans saw coming from a mile away.
Braves' offseason decision-making just keeps looking better and better as Marcell Ozuna looks completely washed
During Ozuna's final year with the Braves, the popular narrative from the team was that Ozuna's struggles were due to a hip injury that Ozuna was playing through. It may have been true that Ozuna was dealing with an injury, but how he played with the Braves once he was "healed" was a huge clue that there was more to it than Ozuna's hip.
During the 2025 season, Ozuna ended up posting a .756 OPS, which is not exactly what you want to see from your designated "hitter". Ozuna had a fairly good start to the season before, according to himself and the team, his hip injury caused his production to drop off significantly in June and July. However, Ozuna only managed a .195/.326/.429 line in August as well, when he was healthy, and that was his THIRD HIGHEST OPS of the season at .755. Ozuna's batting average improved in September, but his OPS continued to dip lower.
Despite the red flags, the Pirates opted to gamble on Ozuna rebounding to have at least one more good season in 2026. Unfortunately, his brutal showing during the opening weekend of the season proved to be a sign of things to come. Through 35 plate appearances for Pittsburgh, Ozuna has only managed a .065/.171/.065 line with only two singles to his name.
Unfortunately, the Pirates are discovering that Ozuna, who was already a flawed hitter during his prime, can no longer succeed against major league pitchers. Sure, the injuries he has dealt with over the years have almost certainly taken a toll. However, the fact that he is 35 years old and had been showing signs of decline before is a much simpler explanation. It is a reality that the Braves already came to grips with, and now the Pirates are having to experience for themselves.