Major League Baseball’s hot stove period has been fairly quiet over the past couple of weeks, but with the new year underway, activity is expected to ramp up again. All 30 teams now have roughly seven weeks left to finalize their rosters before Spring Training begins.
For the Atlanta Braves, many of their most significant moves came early in the offseason, including the signings of Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, Mike Yastrzemski, and Ha-Seong Kim. Even so, Atlanta is still waiting on the futures of several notable free agents—Marcell Ozuna, Tyler Kinley, and Pierce Johnson—who remain unsigned for the 2026 season. Ozuna represents the biggest decision of the group, though the addition of Yastrzemski may signal that the Braves are already preparing for a post-Ozuna lineup.
Braves Expected to Move On from Marcell Ozuna
Marcell Ozuna has spent six seasons with the Braves and has become a popular figure among the fanbase. However, questions surrounding his age, consistency, and recent production could mean his tenure in Atlanta is nearing its end.
In a recent 2026 lineup projection by Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter, Ozuna was notably absent from the Braves’ projected starting nine. Reuter’s predicted lineup for Atlanta looked like this:
- RF Ronald Acuña Jr.
- 1B Matt Olson
- 3B Austin Riley
- C Drake Baldwin
- DH Jurickson Profar
- 2B Ozzie Albies
- LF Mike Yastrzemski
- CF Michael Harris II
- SS Ha-Seong Kim
Reuter also didn’t leave much mystery about Ozuna’s potential destination, projecting the 35-year-old designated hitter to sign with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
A Look Back at Ozuna’s Braves Career
Over his six years in Atlanta, Ozuna has been a key power bat in the Braves’ lineup. Even during what was considered a down year in 2025, he still hit 21 home runs across 145 games and posted an above-average OPS+ of 113.
His peak came in 2023 and 2024, when he ranked among the league’s elite sluggers, launching 79 home runs and driving in 204 runs over those two seasons combined.
Overall, Ozuna has hit 118 home runs as a Brave and delivered numerous memorable, clutch moments with his trademark power. Spotrac estimates his market value at two years and $27 million, while Baseball Reference projects a rebound season in 2026 with 27 home runs, 77 RBIs, and an OPS north of .800.
As a full-time DH, Ozuna’s role has been straightforward—hit for power. Still, the latter part of the 2025 season raised concerns, as he was unexpectedly left out of the lineup on multiple occasions.
If the Braves ultimately decide not to bring Ozuna back, it will be worth watching whether the front office looks to add another impact bat to fill the void—though at this point, it appears unlikely that Ozuna will return to Atlanta.
