Following months of exploration, Marcell Ozuna and the Braves circled back to each other. It took only one day to reach a four-year, $65 million agreement Friday that kept the slugging outfielder in Atlanta.
While there were complicating factors – some of which remain unclear, including the possibility of a universal designated hitter – the process boiled down to a simple reality: The Braves and Ozuna were each other’s first choices. General manager Alex Anthopoulos and Ozuna confirmed such during Saturday’s Zoom conference with reporters.
After Anthopoulos explained how quickly negotiations turned into a deal, Ozuna put on his journalist hat and chimed in with his own inquiry.
“If it was easy, why didn’t you do it after the season ended?” Ozuna asked with his signature smile.
Anthopoulos, chuckling, swiftly responded: “It’s not easy. Took a long time. At the end of the day, as long as we get it done by opening day.”
It was just another moment that Ozuna flashed his charm. The same charm that won over his teammates, coaches and fans in the shortened 2020 season. Aside from the gaudy numbers, Ozuna oozes infectious enthusiasm and energy. For his all-around impact, he became a beloved figure for the Braves, one they ultimately couldn’t bear seeing in another uniform.
It likewise was difficult for Ozuna to envision leaving this situation. He spoke glowingly of the Braves’ coaching staff, which he said made him comfortable. He raved about National League MVP Freddie Freeman, who’s equally thrilled to have Ozuna back hitting behind him (Freeman texted Ozuna, “vamanos!” when he heard the news). Ozuna’s “mind was always with Atlanta” throughout free agency.
“My door was open to them,” he said. “I was on the market to find a new place, but at the same time, I just kept waiting for their decision.”
It was the perfect fit that neither side initially envisioned. Last winter, Ozuna declined the qualifying offer from the Cardinals and entered the open market seeking a hefty contract. The Braves, meanwhile, were dealing with their own free-agent slugger in Josh Donaldson, who had just completed his one-year contract.
Donaldson eventually departed for the Twins, receiving the lengthy commitment he sought. Seeking a replacement, the Braves pivoted to Ozuna, who hadn’t received the offers he desired. The Braves attracted him with the same formula that landed Donaldson: Sign a one-year deal, increase your value and earn a multi-year contract in the next cycle.
The difference this time was the Braves became Ozuna’s long-term home. Even though the past season wasn’t the usual marathon, it was enough time for the Braves to realize they struck gold.
“He’s very accountable, responsible, tremendous teammate, very honest and humble,” Anthopoulos said. “Everything you want. Our environment fit him well. We got the best out of him, and he helped the team in so many ways, both on the field and in the (clubhouse).”
Ozuna had the finest season of his life, hitting .338/.431/.636 and leading the National League with 18 homers and 56 RBIs. He was an integral ingredient in perhaps the best offense in team history. He helped the Braves to their first postseason series victories since 2001, and while their run ended with a Game 7 loss to the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series, it proved the Braves are on the cusp of being championship team.
The glacial-paced MLB offseason makes these situations tough to solve. It invites months of rumors and speculation. The prospect of a universal DH muddied the waters further. Ozuna spent most of his time at DH last season largely because his defense leaves much to be desired. Many felt the DH decision affected the Braves’ interest, but Anthopoulos stressed they wanted Ozuna regardless.
“We wanted him back,” Anthopoulos said. “We wanted a right-handed middle-of-the-order bat, if we could. That was the ideal scenario for us. Sometimes these things just take time. He was definitely a priority. You don’t know how things are going to go. Having spoken to him, I knew Atlanta was his first choice. He was our first choice.”
There isn’t a universal DH right now, so the NL is set to operate under traditional rules for at least one more season. Ozuna will be the every-day left fielder in 2021. He’s confident in his defense, saying the criticism “made me feel bad, but at the same time, I know who I am.”
Anthopoulos defended his player and elaborated on one of Ozuna’s admirable qualities: “I feel like when Marcell was out there in left field, it was solid. He worked hard all the time with our coaches. It’s something he’s continued to talk about, being a great player offensively, defensively and running the bases as well.
“But I’ll say this about Marcell: He’s about winning. St. Louis (in 2019) was the first time he’d made the playoffs. It came up last season and he said, ‘Hey, I’ve only been to the postseason once. Being in the postseason is the most important thing to me.’ I remember when Snit (Braves manager Brian Snitker) talked to him and said we were going to put in Adam Duvall, who’s a Gold Glove-caliber defender, in for defense (in left field), or move guys around or DH. Whatever it was, Marcell’s answer was always ‘Whatever helps the team win.’ A lot of players will just say it and not mean it, but Marcell meant it. He wasn’t worried about free agency or money. If this makes the team better, I’ll do it.
“When you see that, everybody falls in love with him. He’s a great teammate. The coaches love him. The manager loves him. Anything the team needs, he’s going to do. And if he needs to work more, he’ll do it. We’re excited about him. We think he can be very solid in left.”
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
The Braves’ faith in Ozuna is reflected in the contract. Despite their reputation for favoring short-term deals, they signed Ozuna to a four-year commitment with a fifth-year team option. Anthopoulos insisted the team wasn’t interested in another short-term contract; they wanted Ozuna for the long haul.
Ozuna said he received an offer from the Rays before reaching an agreement with the Braves. Negotiations with his preferred team accelerated Friday, which was the first time the Braves and Ozuna’s camp had discussed a contract. “It started in one day and it ended in one day,” Anthopoulos said, adding the Braves offered only a four-year deal.
That answer prompted Ozuna to jump in with his question: Why did it take so long? Later in the meeting, Anthopoulos explained why the Braves kept everybody waiting for a transaction that now felt inevitable.
“At the beginning of the offseason, there was a lot of uncertainty from a team payroll standpoint, from an industry standpoint,” Anthopoulos said. “We declined the option on Darren O’Day. We non-tendered Adam Duvall. It took us time to get through all that stuff. A lot of times, when guys get to free agency, it takes time. I have questions for (Ozuna), too, but I won’t do it in front of the group (laughs). It just took time for things to develop. It was pretty fluid.
“We wanted to give ourselves flexibility at the beginning of the offseason. It took us time to have a sense of where we would be from a payroll standpoint and to work through those things. ... The bottom line is (Ozuna) was a priority. We wanted to get that done. I’m glad we got him signed, and he’s going to be here for a long time.”
