3 players the Atlanta Braves must consider trading, and 1 they absolutely can’t
By Josh Wilson
Players the Braves need to consider trading: Marcell Ozuna, DH/OF
Marcell Ozuna deserves a nod for everything he’s done this year to pull back the yoke on a heavy-nosedive narrative surrounding his future with the team. There was a lot giving that nosedive thrust, including most importantly his on-field play but also unfortunately noise about his off-field behavior, too.
It would not have been a surprise to see Ozuna come into this year with his head hung, allowing his play to suffer with his attitude. Instead, he’s been present and a fairly positive inclusion on the offensive end, with all three parts of his slash line pacing better than they did in 2022 or 2021.
His OPS is back up to .850 which, if it holds for the year, would only be bested by his 2017 and 2020. His 15.2% barrel rate is only bested by his 2020.
With all of that in mind, it could be tempting to look at Ozuna’s 2023 thus far and think, “hey, maybe we should let this guy stick around after all?” In the end, that might be a fine conclusion to come to. Ozuna is not a major deadweight on the payroll for much longer if he regresses again (he’s on the books for next year, but the Braves have a team option in 2025). But we’re talking about players the Braves need to at least consider dealing.
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Ozuna’s reputation over the last three years has never been better. Any team looking for some power hitting in their lineup would be open to considering Ozuna if the deal is right. The baggage on him is far enough removed that the Braves could actually get something out of a player that once looked like the only solution to the problem was to give him the ol’ DFA.
The Braves look genius for holding and can cap that narrative off with a trade that gets them a player back that doesn’t leave such a bad aftertaste, even when he performs well.