{"id":70364,"date":"2025-07-22T07:31:43","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T07:31:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=70364"},"modified":"2025-07-22T07:31:43","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T07:31:43","slug":"braves-manager-hints-at-pending-trade-of-now-healthy-slugger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=70364","title":{"rendered":"Braves Manager Hints at Pending Trade of Now-Healthy Slugger"},"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\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Marcell-Ozuna.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Braves Manager Hints at Pending Trade of Now-Healthy Slugger\" width=\"780\" height=\"439\" \/><\/figure>\n<div>\n<p>Getty<\/p>\n<p>Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In a Monday article for ESPN, Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan gave an updated ranking of \u201c<\/span>MLB\u2019s top 50 trade deadline candidates <span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d offering percentage odds on the likelihood that each player gets dealt.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">At No. 16, the duo listed <\/span>Atlanta Braves <span data-contrast=\"auto\"> designated hitter <\/span>Marcell Ozuna <span data-contrast=\"auto\">, suggesting there is a 70-percent chance that the player known as \u201cthe Big Bear\u201d 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.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">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, <\/span>posted on X <span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (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 \u201cthe most productive players will be in the lineup.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Braves Manager Brian Snitker Removes Struggling Marcell Ozuna From Lineup<\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fan response to the post was mostly critical, some of them questioning why the emphasis on production wasn\u2019t 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.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cThat\u2019s weak imo. Talk to the man directly since it\u2019s his issue. Then can send a broader message to the team,\u201d <\/span>one fan stated <span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cTreating the player who\u2019s 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,\u201d <\/span>another added <span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">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\u2019t seem to think Ozuna would be with the Braves much longer.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cIf he\u2019s going to be here, he\u2019s going to play every now and then,\u201d Sallee <\/span>quoted Snitker as saying <span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Marcell Ozuna Says Sore Hip Feels \u2018Fantastic,\u2019 Hopes to Rediscover 2024 Form<\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">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 <\/span>he told reporters on Sunday <span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that \u201cnow I feel fantastic.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cI just lost my confidence at the plate. I just lost my timing, and that\u2019s what I\u2019ve been battling,\u201d he said. \u201cAs soon as I get my timing back, everything\u2019s coming like last year and the year before.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">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, <\/span>placing fourth <span data-contrast=\"auto\"> in the NL MVP voting.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">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 <\/span>among the more productive designated hitters <span data-contrast=\"auto\"> 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.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>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<\/p>\n<h2>More Heavy on Braves<\/h2>\n<p>Loading more stories<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker removes Marcell Ozuna from the lineup, suggesting a potential for Ozuna to no longer be with the Braves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":70365,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70364","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>Braves Manager Hints at Pending Trade of Now-Healthy Slugger - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=70364\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Braves Manager Hints at Pending Trade of Now-Healthy Slugger - 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