The Pittsburgh Pirates have made a bold statement this offseason, agreeing to a one-year, $12 million deal with veteran slugger Marcell Ozuna, pending a physical. Sources confirmed the agreement on February 9, 2026, with the contract also featuring a $16 million mutual option for 2027 and a $1.5 million buyout. Ozuna will earn $10.5 million for the 2026 campaign, and the Pirates are banking on his powerful bat to invigorate a lineup that finished last in the majors with just 117 home runs in 2025.
This move comes after months of searching for ways to boost what was, by all accounts, MLB’s least productive offense. The Pirates had previously targeted high-profile sluggers like Kyle Schwarber and Eugenio Suárez—both of whom ultimately signed elsewhere—before landing on Ozuna. They also made other notable acquisitions, including All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe in a trade and veteran first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn, who inked a two-year, $29 million contract. Left-handed reliever Gregory Soto and pitcher José Urquidy were also added to the mix, signaling a clear intent to compete in 2026.
Ozuna, who turned 35 in November, arrives in Pittsburgh after a roller-coaster stint with the Atlanta Braves. The three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner was an offensive force for Atlanta, especially during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. In 2024, he posted a .302/.378/.546 slash line, smashed 39 home runs, drove in 104 runs, and finished fourth in National League MVP voting. Over the previous two seasons, his .916 OPS ranked ninth in the majors, sandwiched between perennial stars Freddie Freeman and Bryce Harper. He also received MVP votes in three of his six years with the Braves.
But 2025 proved challenging for Ozuna. A nagging right hip issue hampered his power in the first half and contributed to a noticeable decline in his offensive metrics. He finished the year with a .232 batting average, 21 home runs, 68 RBIs, and a .756 OPS—down from his .925 mark the year before. His hard-hit rate fell from 53.4% in 2024 to 44.6% in 2025, while his bat speed dropped from 75 mph in 2023 to just under 73 mph last season. Despite the downturn, Ozuna still managed a career-high 94 walks and a 15.9% walk rate, fueling a .355 on-base percentage and a 113 OPS+—well above league average. As MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand noted, "Even as he struggled to replicate his previous power numbers, Ozuna remained an above-average MLB hitter."
Ozuna’s arrival in Pittsburgh is not without complications. For one, PNC Park is notoriously tough on right-handed power hitters. Ozuna is a career .225 hitter with just one home run in 36 games at his new home ballpark. The Pirates’ lineup, already heavy on left-handed bats with Lowe, O’Hearn, and Oneil Cruz, plus switch-hitter Bryan Reynolds, will now look to Ozuna to provide some much-needed right-handed thump and balance. The addition also creates a logjam at designated hitter and first base, with Spencer Horwitz, O’Hearn, and Ozuna all vying for at-bats. O’Hearn, who finished 2025 on a tear, is expected to see more time in the outfield, despite being a better defender at first base. Horwitz, while primarily a first baseman, has some minor league experience in left field and could be shuffled around as needed.
There’s also the matter of Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates’ longtime franchise cornerstone and 2013 NL MVP. McCutchen, who played 120 games at designated hitter last season, remains unsigned. Ozuna’s signing all but signals the end of McCutchen’s second act in Pittsburgh. According to The Athletic, McCutchen recently met with team owner Bob Nutting to discuss his future, but the addition of Ozuna makes it hard to envision both players on the roster in 2026.
The Pirates’ front office, led by GM Ben Cherington, has been more aggressive than ever this winter. The team’s Opening Day payroll is projected to reach $101.282 million, a franchise record, after spending more than $50 million in free agency and taking on Lowe’s $11.5 million salary. This marks a significant shift for a club historically known for its modest spending. Owner Bob Nutting’s willingness to open the checkbook was highlighted by the Pirates’ reported four-year, $120-125 million offer to Schwarber earlier in the offseason. While they missed out on Schwarber, the subsequent flurry of signings shows a clear commitment to building a competitive roster around young stars and recent acquisitions.
Ozuna’s market was always going to be limited, given his age, declining defensive ability—he hasn’t played the field since 2023—and a 2025 season marred by both injury and reduced production. His off-field history also includes a 2021 MLB suspension under the league’s domestic violence policy and a DUI arrest in 2022, though he remained a popular figure in the Braves’ clubhouse and among fans. There is no draft pick compensation attached to signing Ozuna, as he was last given a qualifying offer by the Cardinals after the 2019 season.
With spring training set to begin later this week at the Pirates’ Bradenton, Florida, complex, all eyes will be on how manager Derek Shelton fits his new pieces together. The projected lineup now features a formidable top six: Reynolds, Lowe, O’Hearn, Horwitz, Cruz, and Ozuna. And that’s before factoring in shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin, widely considered the sport’s No. 1 overall prospect and expected to debut in 2026. The Pirates may not be done, either. There’s talk of pursuing upgrades at third base, with current incumbent Jared Triolo providing solid defense but below-average offense. As the market thins, creative trade options could still be explored.
For Ozuna, the challenge will be to rediscover his 2023-24 form and prove he can conquer the pitcher-friendly confines of PNC Park. For the Pirates, the hope is that this new-look lineup, bolstered by a record payroll and a renewed sense of urgency, can finally snap a seven-year losing streak and return to postseason contention. With so many moving parts and the season fast approaching, Pittsburgh’s bold gamble on "Big Bear" Ozuna has set the stage for one of the most intriguing storylines of the 2026 MLB season.
As the Pirates prepare to open camp, the city waits to see if these high-profile moves will translate into long-awaited success on the diamond.