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Pirates' $12 million All-Star has little to no trade value with .623 OPS originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed designated hitter Marcell Ozuna during the offseason to a one-year, $12 million contract.
So far, that looks like a mistake.
Ozuna has a .623 OPS and just eight home runs in 250 plate appearances, leading to a disappointing -0.8 bWAR.
The three-time All-Star has hurt the Pirates more than he's helped them, and that could make it difficult to offload his contract leading up to the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
"The Pirates only have four impending free agents, and it's hard to imagine there would be much interest in Marcell Ozuna or Dennis Santana with the mutually disappointing seasons they've been having," Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller wrote Thursday.
At his best, Ozuna hit 20-30 homers per year and provided above-average to solid defense, winning one Gold Glove Award.
Now, he's strictly at DH at 35 years old.
That could limit the number of suitors who show interest in the two-time Silver Slugger Award winner.
MORE: How Jordan Walker overcame the bust label
If the Pirates decide to sell, second baseman Brandon Lowe could be a candidate to change teams, Miller wrote.
"But Lowe has been everything they were hoping he might be with 21 home runs and an .803 OPS," he adds. "There would be a long line of interested parties if he hit the trade block."
Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, Ozuna does not have the same kind of trade value as Lowe.
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