Ozuna leaves Atlanta to sign with an up-and-coming Pittsburgh team.
The Pittsburgh Pirates and veteran slugger Marcell Ozuna have agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract, giving the club another big bat as it tries to turn things around after a 71-91 season.
The deal, pending a physical, includes a $16 million mutual option for 2027 with a $1.5 million buyout.
Ozuna will earn $10.5 million in 2026 and is expected to step in as Pittsburgh's primary designated hitter.
The 35-year-old is the latest in a string of offseason moves that includes second baseman Brandon Lowe and first baseman Ryan O'Hearn, as the Pirates try to build a contender around reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.
Ozuna's Time in Atlanta
Ozuna spent six seasons with the Braves after joining in 2020, when he posted a career-high 1.067 OPS and signed a four-year, $65 million extension.
His best stretch came in 2023 and 2024 when he combined for 79 home runs and a .289/.364/.552 slash line, finishing fourth in NL MVP voting in 2024.
But 2025 was a different story. Ozuna hit .232/.355/.400 with 21 home runs and 68 RBI in 145 games, with a nagging hip injury dragging down his production.
The Braves went 76-86 and missed the playoffs, and Atlanta pulled back his playing time in the second half to give Murphy and Baldwin more at-bats at DH.
Why the Braves Moved On
Atlanta wanted to open up the DH spot to rotate Murphy and Baldwin, and they signed Mike Yastrzemski for outfield and lineup depth.
With Ozuna turning 35 after a down year, the front office moved on.
What Ozuna Brings to Pittsburgh
Ozuna fills a massive need. Pittsburgh hit the fewest home runs in baseball last season (117), finished dead last in slugging (.350) and OPS (.655) and scored the fewest runs in the majors.
Ozuna's 21 home runs alone would have led the 2025 Pirates.
Just as important, Ozuna gives the Pirates a right-handed bat in a heavily left-handed lineup. Lowe, O'Hearn, Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz all bat left-handed, and Bryan Reynolds is a switch hitter.
Pittsburgh had been trying to address that imbalance all winter after missing out on Eugenio Suarez and Kyle Schwarber.
The signing likely signals the end of Andrew McCutchen's second stint in Pittsburgh.
The 39-year-old franchise icon hit .239 with 13 home runs as the primary DH last season, but with Ozuna now in that role, there does not appear to be a clear path back for McCutchen on the roster.
Even with questions about a bounce-back, the Pirates are betting the upside is worth the risk. Since 2023, Ozuna ranks ninth in baseball with 100 home runs.
If he stays healthy, the combination of Ozuna, Lowe, O'Hearn, Cruz, Reynolds and top prospect Konnor Griffin could make Pittsburgh's lineup one worth watching in 2026.