{"id":129259,"date":"2025-12-07T22:07:42","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T22:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=129259"},"modified":"2025-12-07T22:07:42","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T22:07:42","slug":"a-stunning-shift-may-be-about-to-shake-atlanta-as-insiders-predict-the-braves-could-sever-ties-with-a-three-time-all-star-in-a-ruthless-offseason-reset-whispers-of-a-franchise-altering-breakup-grow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=129259","title":{"rendered":"A STUNNING SHIFT MAY BE ABOUT TO SHAKE ATLANTA: As insiders predict the Braves could sever ties with a three-time All-Star in a ruthless offseason reset, whispers of a franchise-altering breakup grow louder \u2014 leaving fans wondering whether a shocking move is looming and which hidden priorities are driving Atlanta into unprecedented territory\ud83d\udc47"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-2219558104.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-2219558104.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-2219558104.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-2219558104.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Braves Predicted to Cut Ties with 3-Time All-Star Amid Offseason Decisions\" width=\"780\" height=\"520\" \/><\/figure>\n<div>\n<p>Getty<\/p>\n<p>MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN &#8211; JUNE 10: Marcell Ozuna #20 of the Atlanta Braves grounds out into a force out to end the top of the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on June 10, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Major League Baseball\u2019s hot stove season is here, giving all 30 MLB clubs the chance to make necessary roster additions heading into the 2026 season via trade or free agency. The Atlanta Braves are a very interesting organization to follow this offseason. After missing the 2025 playoffs, Atlanta\u2019s front office will attempt to make amends by making the right roster decisions.<\/p>\n<p>One of those big roster decisions is what to do with DH Marcell Ozuna, who is a current free agent. The Braves have made a few small moves, like re-signing closer Raisel Iglesias and trading for Mauricio Dub\u00f3n, but many fans are wondering if Atlanta will retain its three-time All-Star slugger.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More MLB on Heavy: Braves Urged to Sign $135 Million Predicted Starter in Free Agency<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Braves Predicted to Cut Ties with Marcell Ozuna?<\/h2>\n<p>Should the Atlanta Braves re-sign Marcell Ozuna? That\u2019s the million-dollar question the Braves\u2019 front office is facing this offseason. He is the team\u2019s most notable free agent, and after a semi-down season in 2025, Atlanta may not want to extend him a contract offer.<\/p>\n<p>In a recent piece by Sports Illustrated\u2019s Harrison Smajovits, the Braves writer urges the team to cut ties with Marcell Ozuna:<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\">\u201cOne Not to Re-Sign: Marcell Ozuna\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\">\u201cSome will agree with this. Some very much won\u2019t. That\u2019s just how it is. Would it be a surprise if they brought Ozuna back? Not at all. A lower price tag would help. However, it\u2019s time to move on. The Braves, looking to potentially rotate Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin at DH, have shown they could be willing to. \u201c<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5427249\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=782\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?resize=782,440 782w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?resize=780,439 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?resize=425,239 425w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?resize=267,150 267w\" alt=\"Braves Predicted to Cut Ties with 3-Time All-Star Amid Offseason Decisions\" width=\"782\" height=\"440\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5427249\" data-lazy-load=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5427249\">GettyAtlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ozuna has been a centerpiece of the Braves\u2019 lineup for the entirety of the 2020s up until this point, but he hit just 21 home runs in 145 games in 2025 and started to be featured as a pinch-hitter late in the season.<\/p>\n<h2>What Are Marcell Ozuna\u2019s Contract Demands?<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s unclear what Marcell Ozuna\u2019s contract demands are at this moment, but as the article from SI indicates, Atlanta could transition Drake Baldwin or Sean Murphy to more of a DH role, and allocate the money saved on Ozuna for another starting pitcher or infield bat.<\/p>\n<p>Over six seasons with the Braves, Ozuna has hit 148 home runs and posted an OPS+ of 127. He was named to the All-Star team in 2024. Ozuna hit 40 home runs in 2023 and 39 in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>He has also been dealing with a hip injury, which may have hindered his power ability in 2025, but another concern is his inconsistency at the plate and high strikeout rate. Ozuna struck out 144 times in 487 at-bats last season, and hit just .232.<\/p>\n<p>As the MLB winter meetings commence, it will be interesting to see what reports are revealed regarding the Braves and their offseason plans.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More MLB on Heavy: Braves Get Bad News on Potential Two-Time All-Star Trade Target<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>More Heavy on Braves<\/h2>\n<p>Loading more stories<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Atlanta Braves are being urged by a team writer to cut ties with this three-time All-Star slugger as free agency continues.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":129260,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-129259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>A STUNNING SHIFT MAY BE ABOUT TO SHAKE ATLANTA: As insiders predict the Braves could sever ties with a three-time All-Star in a ruthless offseason reset, whispers of a franchise-altering breakup grow louder \u2014 leaving fans wondering whether a shocking move is looming and which hidden priorities are driving Atlanta into unprecedented territory\ud83d\udc47 - 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