Since 5/1/23

[JCarbo76]

Marcel Ozuna, in 146 games played, is hitting .305/.365/.622, with 45 homers and 119 RBI.

[Slippyjms]

Makes you wonder if after everything we end up picking up his club option

[zitothebrave]

Makes you wonder if after everything we end up picking up his club option

It's a 15M gamble. And we don't really have any hitters in the pipeline to truly replace him. We could go DH by committee using the DH as partial off days for Ozuna, Albies, Olson, Murphy and Riley. who you still want to hit but may want to give a day off in the field.

[bravesfanMatt]

16 million (actual cost would be 15 million if you account for the buyout) is high imo for a DH only player, but he is one of the top 5 hitters on the team and probably worth that much on the open market.. as someone already mentioned, there might be a restructure type deal to add another option year with a guarantee for next year.

I think he clicks with the Latino players and that probably shouldn't be overlooked as well.

[cajunrevenge]

At this point it's an easy decision. There's really no downside. Nowhere are we going to find a better hitter for 15 million and there's no long term risk being a 1 year option. I wasn't quite sold on Ozuna because he hasn't had 2 very good years in a row in his career but he might even have a better year than last year. The real question as I see it is do we want to keep him beyond 2025. I say keep him through his option then give him a qualifying offer and get the draft pick.

[CyYoung31]

I’d take it by year. I don’t trust him.

[Hudson2]

If he finishes the year like he did last year or is trending now then the option is a no brainer.

[zitothebrave]

I’d take it by year. I don’t trust him.

Unless he's willing to sign like 1/10 contracts after next year you let him walk. At the end of next season he'll be 35. Odds of him having multiple productive years after wards are almost 0.

[weso1]

I cant be the only one who thinks we are going to wake up to him getting popped with a long suspension at some point, right? He looks huge.

[Carp]

16 million (actual cost would be 15 million if you account for the buyout) is high imo for a DH only player, but he is one of the top 5 hitters on the team and probably worth that much on the open market.. as someone already mentioned, there might be a restructure type deal to add another option year with a guarantee for next year.

I think he clicks with the Latino players and that probably shouldn't be overlooked as well.

16 million really isn't that high anymore for a good hitting DH. Soler is probably the closest comp for Ozuna in terms of age and recent production. He just got a 3/32 contract from San Fran this past off-season.

[Carp]

At this point it's an easy decision. There's really no downside. Nowhere are we going to find a better hitter for 15 million and there's no long term risk being a 1 year option. I wasn't quite sold on Ozuna because he hasn't had 2 very good years in a row in his career but he might even have a better year than last year. The real question as I see it is do we want to keep him beyond 2025. I say keep him through his option then give him a qualifying offer and get the draft pick.

He can't receive a qualifying offer anymore. He was already offered when he left St Louis.

[Mad Dog Murph]

I cant be the only one who thinks we are going to wake up to him getting popped with a long suspension at some point, right? He looks huge.

So, now he’s using steroids. Ok

[cajunrevenge]

He can't receive a qualifying offer anymore. He was already offered when he left St Louis.

I didnt know thats how it works.

[cajunrevenge]

Unless he's willing to sign like 1/10 contracts after next year you let him walk. At the end of next season he'll be 35. Odds of him having multiple productive years after wards are almost 0.

If he's hitting like this he will get 30+ in the open market. Its not so much about money to me as it is long term risk. If he has 3 straight years of hitting like this come the end of 2025 I would be more than happy to hand him a blank check for 1 year. Someone would probably be dumb enough to give him a 3 or 4 year deal though. I think this is the upside people always dreamed of with Ozuna. He never really reached it beyond 1-2 really good years. I find it hard to believe he is now a MVP caliber hitter in his mid 30's. So I am fine with riding him while it lasts.

[zitothebrave]

If he's hitting like this he will get 30+ in the open market. Its not so much about money to me as it is long term risk. If he has 3 straight years of hitting like this come the end of 2025 I would be more than happy to hand him a blank check for 1 year. Someone would probably be dumb enough to give him a 3 or 4 year deal though. I think this is the upside people always dreamed of with Ozuna. He never really reached it beyond 1-2 really good years. I find it hard to believe he is now a MVP caliber hitter in his mid 30's. So I am fine with riding him while it lasts.

He's hitting above expectations now, BABIP is way over career norms (nearly on par with 2020) HR/FB is double his career average, his exit velo isn't outstanding. He's just getting really lucky right now and that's good. Because it's worse when you're smoking the ball but it's right at people. What's good though is clearly he's over whatever dogged him in 2021 and 2022 as he's returned to more normal stats for him. If all he does is give us the total production we got last year I'll be hella happy with him. He doesn't need to keep up his current ungodly pace.

[bravesfanMatt]

Ozuna won't get 30 per at any point going forward. No one is giving a mid 30's DH only 30+ a year.. that said 16 million seems reasonable if hits like last year

[thewupk]

So, now he’s using steroids. Ok

All adds up. Roid rage which is why he attacked his wife /s

[zbhargrove]

If he's hitting like this he will get 30+ in the open market. Its not so much about money to me as it is long term risk. If he has 3 straight years of hitting like this come the end of 2025 I would be more than happy to hand him a blank check for 1 year. Someone would probably be dumb enough to give him a 3 or 4 year deal though. I think this is the upside people always dreamed of with Ozuna. He never really reached it beyond 1-2 really good years. I find it hard to believe he is now a MVP caliber hitter in his mid 30's. So I am fine with riding him while it lasts.

Lol thinking Ozuna will get anywhere near 30 million

[Mad Dog Murph]

All adds up. Roid rage which is why he attacked his wife /s

I’m not on roids and I want to choke my wife everyday. 🤣

[bravesfanMatt]

I’m not on roids and I want to choke my wife everyday. ��

I knew Bauer was lurking around here.