Marcell Ozuna Signs $12 Million Deal with Pirates

Marcell Ozuna, a veteran designated hitter and three-time All-Star, has agreed to a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates worth $12 million, pending a physical examination. The 35-year-old slugger, who spent the past six seasons with the Atlanta Braves, brings power-hitting experience to a Pirates lineup that ranked among the majors' weakest in offensive production last year.

The deal includes a mutual option for 2027 valued at $16 million, with a $1.5 million buyout that guarantees Ozuna the full $12 million for 2026. Reports indicate the Pirates finalized the agreement on Monday, just days before pitchers and catchers report for spring training in Bradenton, Florida. Ozuna's move marks his fourth major league team after stints with the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals.

In 2025, Ozuna batted .232 with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs over 145 games for Atlanta, posting a .756 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. The season represented a decline from his standout 2023 and 2024 campaigns, when he hit 40 and 39 home runs, respectively, while driving in over 100 runs each year and earning an All-Star nod in 2024. A hip injury hampered his performance early in the year,...