The Atlanta Braves have been hard at work to improve their roster this offseason. There are a lot of questions that need to be answered by the front office. They've addressed their need for a closer with Raisel Iglesias' return.
Atlanta also swapped Nick Allen for Mauricio Dubon to give them a potential offensive upgrade at shortstop without sacrificing defense. However, Dubon could end up being a super utility option if the Braves can make an even better upgrade to the middle infield. If Dubon is, for some reason, the everyday shortstop, it's even more imperative for Atlanta to find another offensive weapon for the lineup.
There's no guarantee the Braves will bring back Marcell Ozuna to DH next season. Alex Anthopoulos recently stated the team hasn't "closed the door" on him yet. However, the team will consider any opportunities that arise to add an impact bat.
Anthopoulos stated, "If someone who is a pure DH is the right move, we’ll make it. But right now, we’re not committed to anything.” Ozuna had a down year in 2025, as did most of Atlanta's lineup, but the offensive potential is still there, along with his clubhouse leadership. That track record could help his case a bit. But this does create the question: Who would the Braves sign to replace Ozuna?
Braves replacing Marcell Ozuna with Ryan O'Hearn would be a step in the wrong direction
That's tough to answer. There are plenty of options to consider. Kyle Schwarber is on the market, but the likelihood of him coming to Atlanta seems slim. The team can't expect Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin to cover the DH spot, especially with Murphy's timetable for return from hip surgery being unclear.
Braves insider Mark Bowman recently suggested Ryan O'Hearn as a sensible option for Atlanta. O'Hearn split 2025 between the Orioles and Padres. It was one of his best offensive seasons with a .281/.366/.437 with 17 homers, 21 doubles, 63 RBI, and a 127 wRC+.
Ozuna has a bit more pop in his bat, but O'Hearn is a bit younger and can play the outfield if needed. He has reliable range in the field as well. The Braves enjoy having players with a bit of flexibility, so it could be a nice fit. Adding a full-time DH again also makes it that much harder to put together lineups that have both Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy in them which feels less than ideal if you zoom out.
The lefty slugger would need to improve on some things at the plate. O'Hearn was league average in barrel, hard-hit, squared-up, chase, whiff, and strikeout percentages. His xBA was great at .272, along with impressive marks in launch angle sweet spot (38.2), and walk percentage (10.7). O'Hearn is just one season removed from excelling in the metrics he struggled with in 2025, so surely Atlanta's coaching staff could get him back on track.
It will be interesting to see if the Braves think someone like O'Hearn is a better option than simply re-signing Ozuna to a one-year contract.