The Atlanta Braves’ offense has gone cold, and despite winning four straight games, they’re sitting 6.5 games behind the New York Mets in the NL East. It’s a far cry from the team that looked poised to dominate baseball for years with their young core.
Just a few seasons ago, the Braves seemed positioned for a dynasty. They had Ronald Acuña Jr. as their superstar, Spencer Strider anchoring the rotation, and a talented supporting cast. Multiple World Series titles seemed within reach.
Instead, injuries have piled up, and the bats have gone silent. The offensive struggles raise serious questions about a team that was expected to contend in what’s become a loaded division.
What’s next for Atlanta? David Schoenfeld of ESPN recently made an eye-opening prediction: the Braves might consider trading slugger Marcell Ozuna if things don’t turn around.
“It would be shocking not to see the Braves recover from this slow start, but if they don’t, Ozuna would be a fascinating player to consider,” Schoenfeld wrote. “He’s in the final year of a five-year deal and the Braves already have a lot of future commitments on the books, so there’s no guarantee he’ll re-sign with Atlanta, especially since his production warrants a bigger salary than the $16 million he’s making this year.”
Schoenfeld added: “Ozuna was one of the best hitters in baseball last year and is off to an even better start in 2025, so while he’s limited to DH, he would fill a middle-of-the-order need for a DH-starved club (and given the lack of offense across the majors, this is a long list).”
Ozuna has been a consistent power threat, crushing 40 homers in 2023 and 39 in 2024. He’s already launched four bombs this season while posting a dominant 183 OPS+. If the Braves do make him available, they’d likely command a significant return for his services.
The next few months will be telling. Can the Braves right the ship and make another postseason push? Or will they become sellers at the deadline for the first time in years? With Ozuna’s contract situation and their current standing, it’s a scenario that seemed unthinkable just months ago.
