The narrative surrounding Marcell Ozuna as a potential waiver candidate during the 2025 season ultimately underscored the complexities of MLB’s transaction rules rather than resulting in a deadline move. As the July 31 trade deadline approached, the Atlanta Braves found themselves in an unfamiliar position—staring at what would become their first losing season since 2017 and needing to extract value from expiring contracts . Ozuna, in the final season of a five-year, $80 million deal, emerged as the most logical trade piece. However, his “10-and-5” rights—granted after accumulating over ten years of MLB service time and five consecutive seasons with the same team—gave him absolute veto power over any potential deal . This contractual protection meant Ozuna could reject any trade that didn’t align with his preferences, effectively making him the decision-maker in his own fate. Despite reports that the Braves were “making Marcell Ozuna available” and that contenders like the Mets, Blue Jays, and Dodgers had been floated as potential suitors, Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos acknowledged the fundamental challenge: “I can’t force a trade” . The discussions never even reached the point where Ozuna was asked to waive his rights, primarily because a more significant obstacle emerged—his on-field performance had cratered at the worst possible time.
From Hot Start to Injury Struggles
Ozuna’s 2025 season told a tale of two drastically different halves, which ultimately deflated any robust trade market. After his first 30 games, Ozuna boasted a robust .922 OPS, but beginning June 1, his production collapsed to a meager .181/.279/.336 slash line with just six home runs and 23 RBIs through the trade deadline . The culprit was later revealed: Ozuna had been playing through a hip tear, an injury disclosed in June that would plague him throughout the entire campaign . His final 2025 line reflected this struggle: across 145 games, he hit .232 with a .355 on-base percentage and .400 slugging percentage, managing just 21 home runs and 68 RBIs—a stark contrast to his 2023-2024 peak when he ranked ninth in MLB with a .916 OPS . Compounding the situation were his past legal issues—a domestic violence suspension in 2021 and a DUI arrest in 2022—which gave teams additional pause when considering acquiring a player with a declining bat and character concerns . Anthopoulos explained the team’s position succinctly: “Generally speaking, when it comes to trades, if we thought there was a trade where we were getting some value back that we liked, we would have made a trade… That didn’t present itself” . The Braves’ focus on acquiring help for 2026 and beyond simply never materialized into a deal that made sense, leaving Ozuna to finish the season in Atlanta before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
Marcell Ozuna Signs One-Year, $12 Million Deal with Pittsburgh Pirates
The resolution to Ozuna’s free agency came in February 2026, when the Pittsburgh Pirates signed the veteran slugger to a one-year, $12 million contract . The deal, which includes a $10.5 million base salary for 2026 and a mutual club option for $16 million in 2027 with a $1.5 million buyout, represents a calculated gamble for a Pirates team desperate for offensive production . Pittsburgh finished the 2025 season with just 117 home runs, by far the lowest total in the majors, and has aggressively retooled around their young pitching staff anchored by reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes . The Pirates had previously acquired All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe and signed first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn, pushing their payroll close to $100 million for the first time since 2016 . Ozuna’s addition provides right-handed balance to a lineup otherwise dominated by left-handed hitters like Lowe, O’Hearn, and Oneil Cruz, plus switch-hitter Bryan Reynolds . The signing likely signals the end of Andrew McCutchen’s tenure in Pittsburgh, as the 39-year-old franchise icon remains unsigned after serving as the primary designated hitter for the past three seasons . For Ozuna, the move represents an opportunity to prove that his 2025 struggles were injury-related rather than age-related decline, with the Pirates banking on the version of him that finished fourth in NL MVP voting just one year prior .
Summary:
Marcell Ozuna was considered a potential trade candidate during the 2025 season, but a deal never happened due to his 10-and-5 rights, which allowed him to veto trades, and a sharp decline in performance caused by a hip injury. The Atlanta Braves ultimately kept him through the season as no valuable trade offers emerged. After becoming a free agent, Ozuna signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2026, giving both the team and the veteran slugger a chance at a fresh start.