On Tuesday night, the Pittsburgh Pirates lost to the Texas Rangers by a score of 5-1.
Marcell Ozuna finished the loss with no hits and two strikeouts in four at-bats.
Struggling MLB Player Proves The Atlanta Braves Right
GettyMarcell Ozuna #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts after striking out in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on April 21, 2026 in Arlington, Texas.
Ozuna signed with the Pirates over the offseason.
He is currently batting .178 with 13 hits, two home runs, seven RBI’s, six runs and 20 strikeouts in 18 games.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com wrote (on February 9): “Marcell Ozuna has agreed to a one-year, $12 million deal with the Pirates, per source. The deal has a $16 million mutual option for 2027 with a $1.5 million buyout, so he’ll earn $10.5 million in 2026. @JonHeyman and @JeffPassan were on it.”
Ozuna had been a huge part of the Atlanta Braves for the last six years.
He batted .265 with 148 home runs, 410 RBI’s and 356 runs in 683 games for the franchise.
Despite his success, the Braves were clearly correct to move on from the three-time All-Star.
GettyMarcell Ozuna #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
Ozuna’s MLB Career
GettyMarcell Ozuna #20 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates after a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth inning at Truist Park on August 20, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ozuna spent the first five years of his career playing for the Miami Marlins.
He then had a two-year stint with the St. Louis Cardinals.
While he made two of his three All-Star Games in Miami, it’s fair to say that Ozuna should be most known for his run with the Braves (where he contributed to consistent winning).
Arguably the best year of his career came in 2024 when he batted .302 with 39 home runs, 104 RBI’s and 96 runs in 102 games.
GettyMarcell Ozuna #20 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates scoring against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 16, 2024 in Anaheim, California.
It’s still early in the season (and Ozuna has played better as of late), but the Pirates will certainly want more production from the 35-year-old going forward.
Over 1,631 career games, he is batting .268 with 298 home runs, 955 RBI’s, 829 runs and 29 stolen bases.
Pirates And Braves Right Now
The Pirates are currently 13-10 in 23 games.
That said, the National League Central has been so strong that they are the last-place team.
Following two more games against the Rangers, the Pirates will visit the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.
GettyManager Walt Weiss #22 of the Atlanta Braves looks on prior to the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park on April 11, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Braves are currently the best team in the National League East with a 16-8 record in 24 games.
Their hot start is even more proof that moving on from Ozuna was smart.
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