The Atlanta Braves went from having one of the most explosive offenses in MLB history in 2023 to barely sneaking into the postseason a year ago. Amid regression from Matt Olson and others and injury to Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta essentially had one consistent bright spot in all of 2024: Marcell Ozuna.
Ozuna hit .302 with 39 homers and 104 RBI last season, good enough to capture his third career MLB All-Star Game appearance and finish fourth in National League MVP voting. It underlined just how dangerous a hitter Ozuna can be when he’s right, and as he enters the final year of his contract, it also raised questions about his future — a future that Ozuna hopes will be in Atlanta. But if Alex Anthopoulos is willing to dish out a multi-year contract to the 34-year-old slugger, there will have to be some strings attached.
Marcell Ozuna wants to stay with Braves long-term, but it’s not that simple
2025 will be Marcell Ozuna’s sixth season with the Braves. At season’s end, the slugger is set to become an unrestricted free agent, but he is hoping that it doesn’t reach that point. In an interview with Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently, Ozuna detailed all the work that he’s put in over the offseason, and just how badly he’d like to remain in Atlanta.
If Ozuna can keep producing on the field the way he has the last two seasons, Alex Anthopoulos will most likely work on a plan to keep him. However, something will have to give if Ozuna is looking for a long-term contract, because we have seen how Anthopoulos has recently been handling players looking to cash in once they hit their mid-30s (especially players without much defensive value like Ozuna, who also hasn’t been super consistent with the bat over his time with the team).
Additionally, Ozuna has had his fair share of troubles off the field that have been a distraction at times for he and his teammates, resulting in a decline of performance. Those issues seem to be in Ozuna’s rear-view mirror, but they cannot be forgotten, and they automatically put the Big Bear on thin ice. This alone could be enough to keep some front offices from pursuing Ozuna.
Another concern for Anthopoulos and the Braves would be how much longer can Ozuna play at this level. He is about to enter his 13th big-league season at age 34. The transition he has made from outfield to DH has likely helped keep some stress off his body but it is inevitable that Father Time will strike at some point.
The Braves may be willing to give Ozuna a two-year deal at most, but he will likely be seeking something a little bit longer that he feels will take him up to or at least close end of his career. Perhaps if Ozuna could agree to a contract that contains some team options, the Braves would consider extending him for another three or four seasons. If Ozuna truly wants to stay in Atlanta, this is the most likely scenario.
