upi
The Pittsburgh Pirates have parted ways with designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, a league source confirmed to UPI on Wednesday. The decision comes after the veteran endured one of the worst offensive stretches of his career, prompting the club to make a roster adjustment.
In a related transaction, the Pirates will bring up Ronny Simon, a 26-year-old switch-hitting utility man, from the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. Simon has impressed this season, posting a .330 batting average with seven home runs, 26 doubles, two triples, 63 RBIs, and 33 stolen bases across 99 games for the Indians.
Ozuna, who signed a one-year, $12 million deal with Pittsburgh in February, struggled mightily during his tenure with the team. Over 70 appearances, he managed just a .203 batting average, eight home runs, and 29 RBIs. This marked a significant drop-off from his previous production, as he had batted .276 from 2017 through 2024, a period that included his third career All-Star selection in 2024.
The 35-year-old slugger, who also spent time with the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, has accumulated a .267 career batting average with 304 home runs over his first 14 MLB seasons.
Key Analysis
The Pirates, currently holding a 57-58 record, sit third in the National League Central, trailing the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers (70-43) by 14 games. Despite Ozuna's individual struggles, the team's overall offensive output remains strong, as they boast the second-best batting average (.257) in the National League.
The Pirates are scheduled to face the Brewers on Wednesday at 7:40 p.m. EDT in Milwaukee, where they will look to build on their recent momentum without Ozuna in the lineup.
Originally reported by upi.