The Atlanta Braves season has not lived up to expectations. They could look to move on from some pending free agents at the upcoming trade deadline.
The Braves are not likely going to trade away Ronald Acuña Jr. or any of their other superstar players. However, Marcell Ozuna could be a name that Braves are open to trading. Brian Snitker recently revealed that Ozuna will no longer be the regular designated hitter and that his playing time will be decreased.
“If he’s going to be here, he’s going to play every now and then,” Snitker told Barrett Sallee of “680 The Fan.”
With Ozuna already losing playing time and his contract expiring, he is a prime candidate to be traded. FanSided’s Chris Landers proposed this trade that would send Ozuna to the San Diego Padres:
- Braves receive: RHP Ryan Bergert (Padres’ No. 22 prospect)
- Padres receive: DH Marcell Ozuna
“With Sean Murphy not only off the trade block but serving as a catcher/DH tandem with young Drake Baldwin on seemingly a nightly basis, the writing is on the wall for Ozuna as he plays out the final year of his contract with the Atlanta Braves,” wrote Landers. “And it’s true that Ozuna has struggled mightily at the plate of late, with a .562 OPS since June 1. But when he’s right, we know that Ozuna is still one heck of a hitter. And the Padres could very much use a boost at DH, as Trenton Brooks simply isn’t getting it done right now. It’s possible that Ozuna’s nagging hip injury never goes away, but his price could not be lower, and he’s a worthy gamble that could give San Diego a needed jolt.”
Ozuna is likely gone in free agency anyway. Turning two months of his contract into a top 30 prospect would be a win for the Braves in a season that is all but lost.
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