Braves Manager Hints at Pending Trade of Now-Healthy Slugger

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Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna

In a Monday article for ESPN, Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan gave an updated ranking of “MLB’s top 50 trade deadline candidates ,” offering percentage odds on the likelihood that each player gets dealt.

At No. 16, the duo listed Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna , suggesting there is a 70-percent chance that the player known as “the Big Bear” will be wearing a different jersey on Aug. 1. But given the message on playing time that Atlanta manager Brian Snitker has sent, it kind of feels like more of a certainty that Ozuna will soon have a new address.

It was reported on Saturday that Snitker has decided to use Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin at catcher and designated hitter, flip-flopping the duo between those two spots while leaving Ozuna on the bench. On top of that, Mark Bowman, the MLB.com beat writer for the Braves, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Snitker did not have a conversation with Ozuna to inform the 34-year-old of his decision, instead announcing it as part of a message to the entire team that “the most productive players will be in the lineup.”

Braves Manager Brian Snitker Removes Struggling Marcell Ozuna From Lineup

Fan response to the post was mostly critical, some of them questioning why the emphasis on production wasn’t made much earlier in the season. Others blasted Snitker for the way he handled the situation involving a veteran who was an All-Star in 2024 and was batting .284 with 10 home runs and 25 RBIs on June 1.

“That’s weak imo. Talk to the man directly since it’s his issue. Then can send a broader message to the team,” one fan stated .

“Treating the player who’s been our best hitter for the last 3 years like this is just another move in the unfortunate saga of the team treating vets like crap,” another added .

According to Barrett Sallee, pre- and postgame host for the Atlanta Braves Radio Network, Snitker on Sunday appeared to double-down on his lineup maneuvering, at least in terms of how it impacted Ozuna, while also suggesting that he didn’t seem to think Ozuna would be with the Braves much longer.

“If he’s going to be here, he’s going to play every now and then,” Sallee quoted Snitker as saying .

Marcell Ozuna Says Sore Hip Feels ‘Fantastic,’ Hopes to Rediscover 2024 Form

Ozuna, who is in his sixth season with the Braves, has struggled over the past several weeks. He slashed .188/.263/.287 with two home runs and 16 RBIs in June, and he has batted just .139 so far in July. Ozuna has been battling through a sore hip that contributed to his struggles, but he told reporters on Sunday that “now I feel fantastic.”

“I just lost my confidence at the plate. I just lost my timing, and that’s what I’ve been battling,” he said. “As soon as I get my timing back, everything’s coming like last year and the year before.”

But it could be with a different team. Ozuna is in the last season of a four-year, $65,000,000 contract, and while he has struggled recently, Ozuna batted .302 in 2024 with 39 home runs and 104 RBIs, placing fourth in the NL MVP voting.

In their ESPN writeup, McDaniel and Passan named San Diego, Seattle, Texas, Detroit and San Francisco as possible destinations for Ozuna. Despite his struggles, Ozuna has been among the more productive designated hitters in baseball. As a rental, he likely would not cost more than a mid-tier prospect, and if put into the right situation, Ozuna could provide an offensive spark in the second half of the season.

Dave Benson Dave Benson is a longtime writer with over three decades of experience in a variety of mediums, including 15 years covering high school, collegiate and minor league sports in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Dave is also a licensed English teacher and spent a few years teaching at the middle school level. More about Dave Benson