Should the braves offer a contractual extension to Marcell Ozuna?

The designated veteran is located in his last contract season with the Atlanta team.

Regardless of situations that have been presented throughout the contract of Marcell Ozuna with Atlanta Bravesthe Dominican player has been a disguised blessing, above any projection that was at the time of hiring.

The designated batter arrived in Atlanta in 2020 with a year contract during the season cut by COVID-19 and after a great performance, the team decided to extend its stay, offering a contract for four seasons and 64 million dollars, plus an option for a fifth year, which they decided to take. All this happened as a consequence of productive seasons of the Dominican, who hit, won his place inside the organization, especially during the absence of the main star of the team, Ronald Acuña Jr.

Taking all this into account, Ozuna Enter its last year of contract with much to prove and with 34 years, which will directly affect its market value, depending on its performance in 2025. The big question is whether it is convenient for the Braves offering a new contract to Marcell Ozuna By 2026, when he will be 35 years old or if the team must think about acquiring another player who occupies the position and can produce at his level.

During his stay in Atlanta, Ozuna Batea for .272 with PAHO of .855 and PAHO+ of 130. It has fired 127 quadrangular and towed 344 races in 543 games, while its WAR has been 9.6 throughout that section. Translated to 162 games, in their stay with Los Braves, Ozuna has averaged 38 homers and 103 towed with a WAR of 2.9.

Taking these numbers as a reference, we can compare what other batters were renowned for their age to establish whether the bet is worth it for the Braves.

In 2017, Cleveland Guardians offered an agreement of three years and 60 million dollars to Edwin Encarnaciónwho was 34 years old and was, mainly, his designated hitter. With 34 years, the Dominican hit. The following year, he maintained power numbers such as 32 homers and 107 towed, but lowered his batting average .246 and his PAHO fell to .810. The contract with Cleveland did not end, as it was sent to Seattle in 2019.

In 2018, Boston Red Sox gave an agreement for 5 years and 110 million dollars to JD Martínez to become your designated hitter. In 2022, last season with the team, MARTÍNEZ He was 34 years old and not counting the 2020 cut season, he had his worst year, hitting .274 with PAHOs of .790, 16 home runs and 62 towed. A year, Los Angeles Dodgers He was offered an agreement for one year and although he only played 113 games, he improved significantly with respect to 2022, placing an OPS of .893, shooting 33 homers and towing 103 laps.

In 2008, David Ortiz signed a contractual extension with the Red Sox For four years and 52 million dollars, and it was in 2010 when Ortiz played his season with 34 years. The Dominican recovered from a evil 2009 with one year in which he dispatched 32 homers and towed 102 races, while hitting .270 with PAHO of .899, before entering 2011 and having a solid statistical year of his career.

For 1996, Edgar Martínez would sign a contract extension with Seattle Marinerswhich would be until the 1999 season. In 1997, MARTÍNEZ He played with 34 years, having a fairly solid campaign in which he hit .330 with OPS of 1,009. At the end of that contract, MARTÍNEZ remained within the structure of the Marinersbut never signed a multiannual agreement, reaching four contracts for a year consecutively to stay in the team.

In 1999, Frank Thomas signed a contractual extension for seven years and 64.4 million dollars with Chicago White Sox. For 2002, he played with 34 years, coming from an injury the previous year and his numbers were relatively good with 28 home runs, 92 towed and an OPS of .834. His year assured signatures a contractual extension of one more year, which entered into force for the 2005 campaign. Between that season and 2004, Frank Thomas He only played 108 games for injury.

Seen these cases, we can see that the vast majority of the designated batters listed had solid years at 34, but the results varied from now on, so despite the fact that the data indicates that Ozuna can be maintained as productive and Braves They must try to keep it, your next contract must be one that does not sacrifice the finances of the whole for more than three seasons.