Predicting which teams Marcell Ozuna would waive 10-5 rights for in Braves trade

With less than two weeks until the July 31 trade deadline, Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna has two things working in his favor.

First off, Ozuna is playing with a fully guaranteed $16 million salary. He’ll cash in regardless of how many home runs he finishes with, even if he’s on pace for his fewest homers since 2022. But perhaps more importantly, Ozuna controls his own destiny via an oft-forgotten MLB rule: 10-and-5 rights.

For the unfamiliar, 10-and-5 rights operate as a no-trade clause. Players earn 10-and-5 rights when they accumulate 10 years of MLB service time and spend five consecutive seasons with one team. Ozuna debuted in 2013 and joined the Braves in 2020, so he’s clear on both fronts.

Ozuna could potentially hear his name in trade talks if the 42-53 Braves wave the white flag ahead of the deadline. Although the 34-year-old’s .762 OPS is his lowest in a full season since 2018, he’s nonetheless a proven power hitter who should appeal as a rental bat across the season’s final weeks.

Which teams should attempt to acquire Ozuna — and, by extension, which teams should Ozuna consider waiving his 10-and-5 rights for? Let’s take a look.

3. San Francisco Giants

The Giants already made one splash this summer, acquiring Red Sox superstar Rafael Devers in a shocking June trade. However, Devers represents the biggest problem here, and not because the Giants took the remaining $254 million of his 10-year, $313.5 million contract.

Devers turned heads this past spring when he refused to move to leave third base following Alex Bregman’s arrival, though he eventually acquiesced and became the Red Sox’s DH. Although Devers has only manned the DH spot since joining the Giants, he’s taken pregame reps at first base. 

Would Devers be willing to finally man first if it meant his new club could add another All-Star bat? A Giants lineup featuring Devers, Ozuna, and Matt Chapman certainly sounds intriguing, and that’s not even counting struggling shortstop Willy Adames. Plus, the Giants still have 2024 All-Star left fielder Heliot Ramos, who looks to break out of an extended slump soon; Ramos is batting only .220 with a .650 OPS since June 1. 

2. Boston Red Sox

Speaking of the Red Sox, what if Ozuna replaced Devers as Boston’s starting DH? Ozuna has a swing tailored for Fenway Park, and the surging Red Sox have an excellent opportunity to be aggressive. Boston entered the All-Star Break on a 10-game winning streak, and the Red Sox only sit three games out of first place.

If the Red Sox acquired Ozuna, he’d almost certainly be their designated hitter. It’s unclear what that would mean for Masataka Yoshida, who missed practically the entire first half with a right shoulder injury. Could an Ozuna trade mean the Red Sox trade Yoshida, who owns a .285 average, 25 homers, 56 doubles, and a .775 OPS in three big-league seasons?

Yoshida has two seasons remaining on a five-year, $90 million deal he signed in December 2022. Ozuna is a pending free agent with an .882 OPS since the start of 2023. Suddenly, the thought of Atlanta and Boston swapping Ozuna for Yoshida is interesting, and we’ll see if it comes to fruition. 

1. Houston Astros

If there was ever a time for the Houston Astros to embrace what remains of their championship window, it’s now. Veteran designated hitter Yordan Alvarez remains out with a right hand fracture, and there is no confirmed timetable for the three-time All-Star’s return. The 28-year-old Alvarez is only hitting .210 with three homers, 18 RBIs, and a .646 OPS, so there’s no guarantee he’ll resemble his usual form when healthy.

Enter Ozuna, who can immediately slot into Alvarez’s DH role. To be clear, we’re not saying that Ozuna is a perfect replacement for Alvarez, who batted .296 with 136 homers, 384 RBIs, and a stellar .958 OPS from 2021-24. You don’t simply replace a player who tallied 19.8 bWAR and 11 playoff home runs in that stretch.

With that said, the Astros should take what they can get. Ozuna should come relatively cheap for an Astros team with a five-game lead in the AL West. One question: if Alvarez is ready to go in time for the playoffs, would Houston consider moving Ozuna to left field and putting Jose Altuve back at second base? Alternatively, Alvarez and Ozuna could split DH and left field reps if both are willing.

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