ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves recover Marcell Ozuna, signing the slugger for a four-year, $ 64 million contract.
The Braves announced the deal for the 2020 national league and RBI leader Friday night, less than two weeks before pitchers and catchers show up for spring training. The contract includes a $ 16 million five-year club option that would bring her to $ 80 million with a $ 1 million purchase, which would give Ozuna $ 65 million guaranteed.
The Braves made the big commitment to Ozuna despite having no guarantee that there will be a designated batter in the National League in 2021. He flourished in the role in 2020, helping the Braves win the NL East League and get a victory of to advance to the World Series. . The Braves lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh game of the National League Championship Series after leading the series 3-1.
Ozuna’s value to the team, at the clubhouse and as protection from line-up for NL 2020 MVP Freddie Freeman, was crucial to the team’s hope of winning a fourth consecutive NL East title and making another run for the World Series.
Ozuna, who has played with three teams for the past four seasons, said he was happy to settle in Atlanta.
“Since I was a kid I would dream of that day,” she wrote on her Instagram account. “The day I was able to call home. Through ups and downs, I kept my faith right now. Today I can officially say I’m back !!
The deal got immediate approval from Freeman, who posted to his Twitter account, “I love that !! Let’s go!”
Ozuna gambled a bet after the 2019 season, rejecting a $ 17.8 million qualifying offer from the St. Johns. Louis Cardinals and signed a one-year, $ 18 million deal with the Braves in late January. The play yielded a good result as the slugger finished sixth in the NV MVP vote after leading the league with 18 homers, 56 RBI and 145 bases in total. He was third in the National League with a batting average of .338 in the race and a .636 percentage.
The bet? The Cardinals ’$ 17.8 million qualifying offer would have accounted for 41% of their professional earnings so far.
While considered a defensive responsibility a bit after suffering a shoulder injury in 2018, Ozuna, who turned 30 in November, saw some action on the left field for the Braves as he played all 60 games during the season. reduced pandemic. However, most of his bats for Atlanta were the team’s designated hitter, who passed after Freeman in the lineup, as the Braves won the National League East title while they got some of the best offensive numbers in team history.
“My power came because I’m healthy,” Ozuna said after the season. “… I just come in and give the best of my teammates and let’s play.”
Ozuna would open the season as Atlanta’s planned starter on the left field if the DH is not restored.
The NL adopted the DH last year as part of baseball safety and health protocols to play the pandemic. Ozuna made 39 outings as Atlanta’s top DH.
The Major League Baseball proposed renewing universal DH in talks with the players ’association last week, but the union rejected the proposal, which would also have delayed the start of the regular season and expanded the postseason. It is still possible that the parties will agree to restore the DH this year or during negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement after this season.
Prior to joining the Braves, Ozuna spent two seasons with the Cardinals, protecting Paul Goldschmidt in training when they returned to the playoffs in 2019. For the past five seasons, including the 60-game season in 2020, Ozuna has achieved 130 at home runs, making two All-Star Games with the strength of his bat.
Since the start of the 2017 season, Ozuna has 357 RBI, just behind Nolan Arenado (384) of the Rocky Mountains and just ahead of Freeman (343) among National League players, according to ESPN Stats research & Information.
In eight MLB seasons, he has a .276 batting average with 166 homers, 594 RBI and 505 goals scored for the Marlins, Cardinals and Braves.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.