ATLANTA – Now that he’s trapped in the Atlanta Braves, Marcell Ozuna couldn’t resist a good-natured nudge by general manager Alex Anthopoulos.
“Alex, I have a question for you,” Ozuma told Anthopoulos while the two were on a Zoom call on Saturday. “Why didn’t you hire me at the end of the season?”
Instead, Braves waited until a few weeks before spring training began to reach a $ 64 million four-year deal with a hitter who lost the National League’s Triple Crown during the abbreviated 2020 season.
Ozuna’s return ensures that Braves, who have won three consecutive NL East titles, will remain one of the top contenders for the championship in a new season.
They had a victory before the World Series a year ago, losing to eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers in seven NL Championship Series games, after losing a 3-1 lead.
Now, having stepped up their rotation with the free agent hires of Charlie Morton and Drew Smyly, they have ensured that their potent team returned practically intact in 2021.
“We have a very good club,” said Anthopoulos. “We have a club of the World Series caliber. We need things to work out and so on, but everyone on the list believes that we are capable of winning the World Series.”
The Braves knew they wanted to bring back Ozuna – who led the NL with 18 homers and 56 RBIs and finished third in the batting average with 0.338 – but they were slow to make their move after quickly signing with Morton and Smyly for a year deals at the beginning of the free agency.
A few days before the Braves deal was finalized on Friday, Ozuna expected to play elsewhere in 2021. He received an offer from the Tampa Bay Rays, but hoped for something better.
Finally, Braves entered the mix.
It only took a day to reach an agreement.
“We didn’t talk about the contract until a day or two ago,” said Anthopoulos. “It was done very quickly.”
Ozuna, never shy about saying what he thinks, jumped up to ask why the deal was not closed before. It was all good fun, but Anthopoulos said it took a while to sort out the payroll considerations heading for another season that is sure to have the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
“At the beginning of the off-season, there was a lot of uncertainty from the point of view of the team’s payroll and the point of view of the industry,” he said. “When the guys arrive at the free agency, it takes time.”
Th Braves also had to consider whether the designated hitter would return to NL for another season. Ozuna prospered in 2020 while serving mainly as a DH. For now, that one-year experiment is out of the question after players have rejected a proposal to postpone the start of the regular season.
Unless there is a change of course, Ozuna will leave for Braves on the left wing, where his defensive limitations will certainly be highlighted.
Anthopoulos circumvented this issue when asked if there was any concern about Ozuna maintaining a full-time defensive role.
“We feel that when Marcell is in the left field, he is solid,” said the GM. “He worked very hard with all of our coaches to continue to be a great player offensively, defensively and managing the bases.”
Although Ozuna’s defense may be a problem, there is no doubt about its impact on Braves’ attack.
Hitting behind Freddie Freeman, Ozuna was the main reason why Atlanta’s first baseman won the NL MVP award.
If Ozuna had gone elsewhere, the Braves would have been left with a huge hole to fill. Now, they return to a lineup featuring four players who reached double-digit homers in the 60-game season and scored just one race less than the Dodgers, the leaders of the major league.
But Ozuna’s impact goes beyond its impressive numbers. He quickly became one of the most popular players in the Braves club, adding even more fire to a young and confident team with his many celebrations.
From his “mix it up” mantra to posing for a “selfie” in the basepaths after hitting a playoff home run, Ozuna’s talent was apparent almost every time.
After initially signing Ozuna for a $ 18 million one-year contract, the Braves were willing to go long-term to keep the 30-year-old in Atlanta.
“We needed that season to feel comfortable giving him that kind of contract,” said Anthopoulos. “Where we are as a team, where he is in his career, where we are at our core, he fits in very well.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.