08/05/26 02:10:00
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08/05 14:09 CDT Pirates to release Marcell Ozuna, promote Ronny Simon for
roster spot, AP source says
Pirates to release Marcell Ozuna, promote Ronny Simon for roster spot, AP
source says
By WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer
The Pittsburgh Pirates are cutting ties with veteran designated hitter Marcell
Ozuna as they gear up for a playoff push.
A person with knowledge of the decision told the Associated Press that the club
is releasing the 35-year-old following a nightmarish stretch in which the
three-time All Star could never seem to get on track. The person spoke to the
AP on condition of anonymity because the move was not yet official.
The Pirates, who entered Wednesday 3 1/2 games behind Arizona for the National
League's third wild-card spot, are planning to promote outfielder Ronny Simon
from Triple-A Indianapolis to take Ozuna's roster spot.
Pittsburgh signed Ozuna to a one-year deal worth $12 million in February, a
rare free agency splurge for the budget-conscious Pirates. The team hoped Ozuna
would help balance out a left-handed heavy lineup. Instead, Ozuna started slow
and never found the form that helped him hit 296 homers during previous stops
in Miami, Atlanta and St. Louis.
Ozuna hit just .203 with 8 home runs and 29 RBIs in 70 games with Pittsburgh
and had seen his playing opportunities cut significantly in recent weeks thanks
to the emergence of rookie Esmerlyn Valdez. Ozuna was scheduled to make $10.5
million this year, with mutual option of $16 million in 2027 with a $1.5
million buyout.
The decision comes on the heels of a trade deadline in which Pittsburgh,
seeking to end a decade-long playoff drought, fortified its leaky bullpen with
a series of moves, including acquiring prominent reliever Luke Weaver from the
New York Mets.
While manager Don Kelly and general manager Ben Cherington defended Ozuna
repeatedly, with Cherington expressing confidence the underlying metrics showed
Ozuna was close to turning it around and Kelly praising Ozuna's influence on
the club's Latin players. But with a chance to play meaningful baseball into
September on the line, the team opted to move on.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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