Braves Rumors: Marcell Ozuna trade, first-round pick promoted, call-ups looming

Braves Rumors: Is a Marcell Ozuna trade on the horizon?

Marcell Ozuna’s had a nice bounceback season seemingly out of nowhere. Ozuna was a DFA candidate for the Braves early in the season, but Alex Anthopoulos stuck with him despite off-field concerns and what (at the time) looked like a bad contract. Yet, Ozuna has remained steady, slashing 235/.311/.468 with 23 home runs on the season. Ozuna serves primarily as a DH, but he can play some corner outfield if called upon.

If Alex Anthopoulos is so inclined, he can do the unthinkable and trade Ozuna when his value is highest. Few pundits thought he’d be a hot commodity at this point in his career, but the free-agent market doesn’t offer many big bats. FanSided’s Josh Wilson theorized a potential offseason trade earlier this week:

"“Ozuna has one year left on his current contract for $18 million, with a team option in 2025 for $16 million. Even though Ozuna comes with some baggage, both on and off the field, teams in desperate need of some designated hitting help could be persuaded into taking that final year off the Braves hands in a trade, risk associated and all. If Ozuna keeps raking it as he has this season, though, it might not even take that much convincing.”"

All of a sudden, Ozuna’s contract doesn’t look so bad. He has two years of control left, and assuming he can provide similar power as he has in 2023, Ozuna could be a valuable asset for a team on the rise.

Of course, this being Alex Anthopoulos, he’ll want something valuable in return.