Marcell Ozuna's stats haven't been where the Pittsburgh Pirates want them to be, but he's still finding a way to impact the team's roster.
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a statement during the offseason, emerging as one of the big players in both the free-agent and trade markets.
Part of those moves was the signing of veteran designated hitter Marcel Ozuna.
The hope was that Ozuna would supply some much-needed pop to the middle of Pittsburgh's lineup. Even towards the end of his career, Ozuna still showed that he had a little bit left in the tank in his final season with the Atlanta Braves.
However, halfway through the season, that hasn't been the case. Ozuna has a .610 OPS with seven home runs.
Some of the other underlying analytics have been even more concerning. Ozuna has a strikeout rate of 30.7 percent and a whiff rate of 32 percent.
His walk-rate was still strong in 2025 (15.9 percent), but it has noticeably dropped in 2026 (9.7 percent), which shows how much the veteran is pressing at the plate right now.
Ozuna's stats came ahead on Friday when the Pirates were scheduled to face left-handed pitcher Foster Griffin. Even though Ozuna has solid career splits against southpaws, he wasn't in the lineup.
Jun 5, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (24) bats against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn ImagesOzuna is fully aware that his numbers aren't where he wants them to be as the All-Star Break looms.
“My timing has been off. It’s hard, because sometimes you miss. You’re on the bench and it’s hard when you come in from the bench and you’re trying to do some damage because you haven’t seen a pitcher for a while," Ozuna said (quote via MLB.com).
The veteran has nearly 7,000 career plate appearances. He knows what his swing looks and feels like when he's locked in, and that just hasn't been the case in 2026.
Ozuna continued, “As soon as I get inside the ball and hit it the other way, that’s when I become a good hitter. I don’t rush. I just wait for my time, and when they give me the opportunity, I’ll be there... Just doing my work in the cage and then get back on track.”
Even though Ozuna hasn't produced the way the Pirates would've wanted, he's still making an impact in the Pirates clubhouse, which is needed given the young and still relatively inexperienced players on Pittsburgh's roster.
Hopefully, Ozuna can get his bat going during the second half of the season, but the 35-year-old is still finding a way to leave his mark on this iteration of the Pirates.
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