The Pittsburgh Pirates needed offense. That much was obvious. They needed impact, they needed lineup protection, and they needed someone who could change how opposing managers map out the late innings against Paul Skenes’ club.
Instead, they signed Marcell Ozuna to a one-year, $12 million deal with a $16 million mutual option for 2027 — and it feels less like a statement and more like a patch.
Ozuna’s surface numbers will get cited immediately. Twenty-one homers. A 15.9% walk rate. A .355 OBP. “Above-average hitter.” But the underlying red flags are hard to ignore.