Marcell Ozuna makes ESPN’s list of top potential trade candidates

Over at ESPN, Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel came up with their list of the top 50 potential trade candidates leading up to the trade deadline. The Braves were mentioned as potential fits for several big names, but one of their All-Star talents was also included — designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, who was ranked 11th.

11. Marcell Ozuna, DH, Atlanta Braves

Chance of trade: 25%

Ozuna is a stone-cold DH, playing two games in the field in 2023 as his last regular-season experience defensively. Ozuna is also in a contract year, but his power numbers are down a notch from his standout .302 average and 39-homer performance last season. His on-base percentage remains among the highest of potential trade candidates. If anyone is moving from Atlanta, he’s the likeliest candidate, with free agency beckoning.

Best fits: San Diego, Seattle, Detroit, Kansas City, San Francisco, Cleveland, Boston

Alex Anthopoulos recently made it very clear that the Braves would not sell, and with their recent run of play, it’s hard to imagine he’s switched up his tune on the matter. However, if something were to drastically change in the wrong way between now and the trade deadline, Marcell Ozuna would be the most obvious candidate for the Braves to move, given he’s a free agent as season’s end.

With that being said, I’m not quite sure what kind of trade value Ozuna has right now. The fact that he doesn’t play defense at all significantly lowers his value already, and he’s currently dealing with a tear in his hip that is clearly hindering his offensive production. In his last 20 games, Ozuna is hitting just .171 with one home run, which calculates to a .533 OPS.

Some team will assuredly trade for The Big Bear if he’s made available ahead of this year’s trade deadline, but no club is going to give up very much for a designated hitter that’s playing through a torn hip and is a free agent at the end of the season. That’s one of the many reasons it feels unlikely the Braves are going to sell. Even the guys they could consider trading aren’t going to net them very much in return right now.