Braves: Advanced stats say it is better for Max Fried to hit than Marcell Ozuna

Marcell Ozuna is finding new and creative ways to lower the floor at the plate for the Atlanta Braves.

At some point, Max Fried needs to be the Atlanta Braves‘ version of Shohei Ohtani by playing both ways to send Marcell Ozuna packing.

Ozuna was incredible for the 2020 Braves during the COVID-shortened campaign. He led the National League in home runs and runs batted in, but after getting a lofty four-year extension from Alex Anthopoulos in February 2021, all the cans of soup came tumbling out of the bottom of a sopping wet grocery bag. Watching him do whatever he does at the plate has been eye-gouging.

I don’t know what this stat means, or really care what it means, I just know that Ozuna stinks.

He did get a hit last night in the Braves’ 2-0 series opening road victory over the San Diego Padres, but that does nothing for me. His .091 batting average is over the legal limit. I’m not giving him my keys and you shouldn’t either. There is only one thing to do right now. DFA him and host Liberation Day at The Battery to celebrate the suffering ending and recoup some financial capital.

In the meantime, I suggest that Fried find a pair of Franklins, a Louisville Slugger and get to work.

Why the Atlanta Braves should have Max Fried hit instead of Marcell Ozuna

Although I know the Braves aren’t going to listen to me in my absolute shenanigans, I do have a point. Fried has one more year of arbitration left before he hits free agency in 2025. Because Anthopoulos appears to have suffered third-degree burns from the Ozuna contract extension grease fire, he has been largely reluctant to retain his top guys once they get past 30-years-old.

While he has been validated in letting Freddie Freeman walk to trade for Matt Olson, we are too early in the game to understand the fallout of the Dansby Swanson decision. Although both controversial moves can be justified, letting Fried walk would be incredibly head-scratching and quite frankly, hard to stomach. He is a pitcher, but he is their ace and one of their better athletes.

Back when pitchers could hit, Fried was glorious in that role. His walk-off in 2021 remains one of the best memories a lot of Braves Country has with this core. Not to say his body will hold up DH’ing and toeing the rubber every fifth day, but he’s not going to look like a dorky kid struggling at tee ball out there. You’re doing great, Sweetie … until you’re not. Maybe he’s just an indoor kid?

In finding substance through all the ramblings, we will get to the Fredi Gonzalez threshold with the Ozuna contract sooner rather than later. The Braves former manager briefly ruined baseball for me with his absolute stooge buffoonery when it came to bullpen management and lineup construction. 2014, 2015 and 2016 got progressively worse. Thank goodness for Brian Snitker…

Ultimately, we have another Dan Uggla and B.J. Upton on our hands. They were good before, but man, it’s minute, dawg. When you’re doing things at the plate the majestically beautiful specimen Bartolo Colon can do, it’s time to reevaluate your role in life. There is only one Big Sexy, just like there is only one absolutely horrific albatross of a contract on the ledger for one Liberty Media.

This is a sunk cost, so let’s just eat that tomato in one bite like Barry Badrinath did on command.