As soon as Marcell Ozuna stumbled to start the 2025 season, it became clear that the Atlanta Braves were unlikely to reunite with him after the season. While Ozuna has somewhat rehabilitated his image with many fans, the fact remains that an aging DH with diminishing production is not something the Braves can afford to give real money, let alone give an everyday roster spot to. While hitters with Ozuna's track record normally can find gainful employment somewhere, his free agency is a bit more complicated than that.
Everyone knew that the Braves were trying to trade the pending free agent Ozuna at the trade deadline, but they didn't find a taker at a price point they found acceptable.