ATLANTA -- Marcell Ozuna wasn’t the reason the Braves suffered a 4-2 loss to the Yankees on Sunday afternoon at Truist Park. But his presence in the designated hitter role was a reminder that Atlanta wasn’t utilizing its optimal lineup just two days after manager Brian Snitker said the team would do so moving forward.
As the Braves (43-55) sit 12 games under .500, there is seemingly little reason for them to focus on anything but the 2026 season and beyond. They can do so by having Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin flip-flop between the catcher and DH spots on an everyday basis over the remainder of the season. This will prepare them for life without Ozuna, a free agent-to-be whose once-potent bat has been lifeless most of the season.
But just three days after the All-Star break, Murphy sat in favor of Ozuna, who went hitless in four at-bats. As for Murphy, he singled in an eighth-inning pinch-hit at-bat.
“If [Ozuna] is going to be here, he’s going to play every now and then,” Snitker said. “He had seen [Yankees starter Marcus] Stroman. Murphy hadn’t. [Ozuna] had a homer off Stroman. So it’s just like the other day when I played him against [Erick Fedde] in St. Louis. He had had two homers against him, and he hit another one off him.
"If he’s going to be here, he’s not going to rot.”
How long Ozuna remains with Atlanta will depend on when the Braves might be able to get something of substance for the veteran slugger before the July 31 Trade Deadline.
“I don’t worry about that,” Ozuna said. “My agent and the GM [Alex Anthopoulos] have that decision.”
Ozuna’s agent would come into play because Ozuna has earned trade veto rights as someone who has played 10 years in the Majors and five seasons with the same team. But would the 34-year-old veteran want to stick around knowing he would likely sit on the bench over the final two months before hitting the free-agent market?
That’s a question that will need to be answered once the specifics of a possible trade are finalized. For now, Ozuna has to deal with the fact that he has become a bench player. This was an unforeseen development just a few months ago. This is the guy who ranked ninth among all qualified MLB players with a .916 OPS over 306 games from 2023-24.
But Ozuna has produced MLB’s ninth-worst OPS (.562) over 38 games going back to June 1.
“It’s hard, but we’re going to find a way to get it back,” Ozuna said.
When Ozuna was dealing with a right hip ailment during the season’s first couple of months, his swing rate dropped significantly and his walk rate rose. He had a .901 OPS as recently as June 1. But his production has dipped as his hip has proven to be less bothersome.
“It was my hip earlier in the season, but now I feel fantastic,” Ozuna said. “I feel amazing with my body. I just lost my confidence at the plate, and I lost my timing.”
Ozuna’s track record led the Braves to remain as patient as they could with him, with the hope he would break out like he did after struggling mightily during the first month of the 2023 season. But Snitker on Friday said he planned to have one of his two catchers, Murphy or Baldwin, fill the DH spot on a consistent basis.
“If they’re going to keep hitting, they’re going to keep playing,” Snitker said.
Baldwin has hit .282 with 11 home runs and an .828 OPS through his first 68 career games. His .844 OPS through 12 games this month has strengthened his bid for the National League Rookie of the Year Award. If he wins the honor, the Braves would receive a Draft pick after the first round next year.
Murphy has homered once every 12.9 at-bats while tallying 16 homers and an .847 OPS. And he has been one of the team’s hottest players of late, with five homers and a 1.108 OPS through 46 plate appearances this month.
Baldwin and Murphy factor into the Braves’ future. If Atlanta has them share the catching and DH roles again next year, it could use the $16 million it paid Ozuna this year to fill another roster need.
Whether looking at immediate or long-term benefits, it makes sense to continue playing both Baldwin and Murphy on a daily basis, even if that means Ozuna is going to sit while he remains with the Braves.