Ozuna's power offers a potential spark for Pittsburgh's offense, but his inconsistency and age present a significant gamble.
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ goal heading into the offseason was to add three proven hitters to their feeble lineup if they were to go from last place in the National League Central in 2025 to contenders in 2026.
General manager Ben Cherington has done what he set out to do after agreeing to terms with free agent Marcell Ozuna on a one-year, $12-million contract on Monday, two days before spring training begins in Bradenton, Fla.
Ozuna joins second baseman Brandon Lowe and first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn as players who should bolster an offense that was last in the major leagues in runs scored and home runs. The Pirates acquired Lowe from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade and signed O’Hearn to a two-year, $29-million deal in free agency.
Lowe and O’Hearn were both selected to the All-Star Game last season, and Pittsburgh has a strong degree of certainty about the kind of production they will get from the pair. Ozuna, though, is a wild card at this stage of his career, and the Pirates are taking a risk by signing him.
Ozuna is 35, has not played a game in the outfield since 2023, and has stolen three bases over the past six seasons. So, he does not bring athleticism to Pittsburgh. Ozuna’s OPS was .756 last season, which was down from .905 in 2023 and .925 in 2024.
Yet Ozuna’s power is intriguing, especially for a team whose home run leader last season was Oneil Cruz with 20. Ozuna hit 21 home runs a year ago in 145 games despite playing through hip pain throughout most of the season.
That came after seasons of 40 and 39 home runs for Ozuna. To put that in perspective, no Pirates player has hit 40 homers in a season since Willie Stargell blasted 44 in 1973.
However, there is reason to wonder if the right-handed-hitting Ozuna will adapt to playing at PNC Park, which can be tough on righties. Ozuna’s track record on the shores of the Allegheny River is poor, as he hit only one home run in 36 games and 156 plate appearances while slashing .225/.295/.310.
Pittsburgh needed another power hitter, though, and Ozuna was the best one remaining in free agency. The Pirates are taking a bit of a gamble here.
Will that gamble pay off? We’ll see, but it is one they had to take.
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