Braves should trade 3-time All-Star Marcell Ozuna, per MLB insider

Things couldn't be going much worse for the Atlanta Braves.

Losers of seven straight, the Braves have fallen to 10 games under .500. It's the kind of losing streak that can unravel a season, and it came at a time when Atlanta already couldn't afford many more slumps.

Selling at the deadline is beginning to look like a real possibility for a Braves team that never wanted to do so. But there still have to be limits on what they can sell. For instance, any impact players under contract beyond 2025 is likely off the table.

However, three-time All-Star designated hitter Marcell Ozuna is a free agent at the end of the season. And insider Robert Murray of FanSided is calling for the Braves to wave the white flag and deal Ozuna away ahead of the July deadline.

"A hard sell, featuring Chris Sale and other prominent players on the Braves, feels highly, highly unlikely. But moving on from Marcell Ozuna, who’s in the final year of his contract, makes plenty of sense for the Braves," Murray wrote.

"Ozuna, 34, is one of the preeminent home run hitters in baseball. He hit 40 home runs in 2023. He hit 39 home runs in 2024. While he has 10 home runs this season, he’s still one of the best pure power hitters in baseball, and for a contending team in need of offense, Ozuna would represent a premium option."

Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp

Murray also touched on the likely asking price for Ozuna, who makes $16 million this year, is playing through a hip injury, but still has a 134 OPS+ and a near-.400 on-base percentage.

"Since he’s on an expiring contract, it would not take a massive haul to acquire Ozuna," Murray wrote.

"It’s unclear what the Braves would seek in trade talks for him, and it’s very likely that the asking price will not leak, given that executive Alex Anthopoulos runs one of the most secretive organizations in sports, not just baseball. But a trade to acquire Ozuna would surely not require any team to gut their farm system."

This season would feel like a massive step back if the Braves miss the playoffs, but if that's the overwhelming most likely scenario, they have to cut their losses and get what they can for the slugger.

More MLB: Phillies blockbuster trade pitch lands Red Sox's Jarren Duran in multi-player swap