Braves predicted to sign $150M NL rival, 3-time All-Star, Silver Slugger to replace Marcell Ozuna originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Braves could have a flurry of moves this offseason after a lackluster season unseen in Atlanta for quite some time. Hard decisions will need to be made regarding which familiar faces to keep. Last season, the Braves tried to get value out of Marcell Ozuna, but he vetoed all trade offers.
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“It’s possible that while Anthopoulos was discussing trades, he couldn’t agree on a deal that Ozuna’s agent could also sign off on. Just because Ozuna is leaving the deadline out of his hands doesn’t mean the 10-5 rights go out the window. He could have simply handed over those rights to his agent for the discussions,” SI’s Harrison Smajovits wrote.
If Ozuna isn’t re-signed to be the designated hitter, the Braves could very well go all-in for Kyle Schwarber.
“With Marcell Ozuna set to depart in free agency, the Braves look like a logical landing spot for Schwarber with a clear need at designated hitter,” Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter wrote. “Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported in the days leading up to the 2025 trade deadline that the Braves had no interest in trading Murphy and loved the Murphy/Baldwin tandem, but if they decide to revisit the idea of trading from an area of strength, it could open the door for a run at signing Schwarber.”
However, if the Braves want to sign Schwarber, it won’t come cheap by any means.
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“According to Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the expectation is that Schwarber is seeking a five-year deal close to $30 million annually. That could end up around the $150 million range by the time he puts pen to paper. It’s a lot of money to attribute to any slugger, given he’ll turn 33 next season,” TBOH’s Matt Davis wrote.
If GM Alex Anthopoulos manages to bring Schwarber to Atlanta, it could be an upgrade from Ozuna in terms of home runs. Last season was not kind to Ozuna, which might be a sign it’s time to move on.
The Braves are looking to bounce back in a big way, and Schwarber could be a key part of that. The team is willing to do whatever it takes.
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