Braves Predicted To Turn Down Reunion With 3-Time All-Star Slugger

The Atlanta Braves have a lot of important choices to make at the end of their dreadful season.

There’s no salvaging the effort the Braves have put forth thus far — injuries, underperformance, and high-leverage letdowns have put them out of reach for a playoff spot. But this team still hopes to contend next year, and constructing the right roster to achieve that goal could take many forms.

One major decision the Braves will face right off the bat is whether to pursue a reunion with designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, a three-time All-Star with virtually no athleticism who can definitely still hit, but it remains to be seen how high the ceiling is.

The Braves could try to extend Ozuna, tender him a qualifying offer and collect a draft pick if he rejects it, or simply let him walk.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicted on Friday that the Braves would let Ozuna go, with no mention of the qualifying offer, but strongly hinting that Atlanta would be best served focusing their efforts on other players.

“Injuries and age-related decline appear to have caught up with the veteran DH, who is batting .238 with 20 home runs, well below his production last season, when he hit 39 homers, slashed .302/.378/.546 and finished fourth in the NL MVP voting,” wrote Bowden.

“Could he be a Comeback Player of the Year candidate next year? Sure, but I don’t think it’s likely, and it’s not likely he’s with the Braves next year either.”

The Braves failed to find a trade partner for Ozuna at the July 31 deadline, and part of their logic for keeping him could be the idea that the qualifying offer, which would net them a pick at the end of the second round, would be more valuable than whatever prospect they would have gotten.

But would Ozuna reject a one-year deal worth over $21 million based on this year’s performance? It’s an interesting gamble, and perhaps one that the Braves won’t want to mess with if their plans for next season don’t involve the 34-year-old.

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