Despite a debut 2020 season in Atlanta which saw him come close to winning the National League Triple Crown, ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that outfielder/DH Marcell Ozuna is looking likely to sign elsewhere in free agency.

Olney says that there is very little chance that the burly outfielder, who hit .338 with 18 home runs and 56 RBIs in a monster season for the Braves, will re-ink with his 2020 team thanks to their organizational wariness to sign veteran players to long-term deals, which he is seeking.

Ozuna is dealing with the handicap of teams not knowing whether the designated hitter will be used in both leagues next season. If it is, NL teams would be more likely to give a long-term deal to the Dominican slugger, whose defense has gone downhill in recent seasons.

The White Sox, Blue Jays, Mets, and Giants have been some of the teams that are reportedly interesting in adding Ozuna this offseason, who is reportedly looking for at least a four-year contract.

It remains to be seen, however, whether or not a team will be willing to offer him that sort of deal based on diminished revenues following a COVID-19-affected 2020 campaign.

Spring Training gets underway next month, and it appears that Ozuna will not be with the Braves when that time comes despite his success with the team last season.

The post Braves Looking Unlikely to Re-Sign Marcell Ozuna appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Atlanta Braves’ wins over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday and Wednesday might not have seemed like a big deal at first glance, but Braves outfielders Marcell Ozuna and Adam Duvall combined to make history during the dog days of summer.

Ozuna and Duvall became the first teammates in the history of Major League Baseball to hit three home runs in back-to-back games, an astonishing feat considering the 117-year history of the world’s premier baseball league.

Ozuna got the party started on Tuesday night in the Braves’ 10-3 win, going yard off of Ryan Weber, Robert Stock, and Kyle Hart and driving in a total of six runs.

On Wednesday, Duvall was the Braves’ main offensive threat in a 7-5 triumph that saw him blast two-run bombs off of Mike Kickham and Andrew Triggs as well as a solo shot in the eighth inning off of Ryan Brasier to give the Braves insurance.

Amazingly, the home run that gave the Braves the lead earlier in the game came off of the bat of none other than Marcell Ozuna.

The Braves will look to extend their streak of three home run games to three on Friday as they host the Washington Nationals.

The post Braves’ Ozuna, Duvall Become First Players in History to Hit 3 HR in Back-to-Back Games appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Major League Baseball Spring Training has kicked off, meaning that real baseball games are just around the corner. The teams have more than a month of practices and exhibition games to go before the regular season gets going, but the excitement for a new season is palpable already.

This offseason was full of significant transactions that have changed the baseball landscape, bringing new faces to new teams. Let’s take a look at the three free agents who joined new teams that are set to have the biggest impacts on their new squads.

Anthony Rendon: Los Angeles Angels

The Angels signed arguably the biggest free agent of the winter, locking up third baseman Anthony Rendon for the next seven years at a cost of $245 million.

The Orange County club has underachieved since Mike Trout, the best baseball player in the world, debuted as a full-time player in 2012, making the playoffs once since then. Rendon should help them get closer to that goal and provide Trout with much-needed lineup support.

Rendon has hit at least 25 home runs and batted .300 for the last three seasons. At age 29, he is at his peak and should help the Angels become a playoff threat.

Gerrit Cole: New York Yankees

Gerrit Cole escaped the mess that is the Houston Astros organization this offseason for the Bronx, inking the richest contract in the history of baseball for a pitcher.

Cole turned the Yankees from merely one of the best teams in the league into a World Series favorite. The 2019 AL Cy Young Award winner turned into one of the premier pitchers in the game while in Houston, recording a sub-2.90 ERA and 275 or more strikeouts the past two seasons.

If Cole can successfully navigate the hitter-friendly combines of Yankee Stadium, he could be the missing piece that leads the Yankees to their first World Series title since 2009.

Marcell Ozuna: Atlanta Braves

Marcell Ozuna was an underrated name on this offseason’s list of free agents. Why? The Dominican-born outfielder had a slightly down 2019 season, batting .240 and 29 home runs while struggling with bad luck with a .257 BABIP.

Ozuna did, however, show plate discipline improvement that should make him one of the premier power hitters in baseball in 2020 if he continues to mash home runs. His signing represents a huge upgrade for the Braves, who have had Nick Markakis entrenched in the left-field position that their new signing is expected to occupy.

Adding Ozuna to a lineup that already has Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, and MVP candidate Ronald Acuña Jr. turns the Braves into World Series contenders if their young pitching staff can continue to make strides forward.

The post These MLB Free Agent Signings Will Have the Biggest Impact on Their New Clubs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After failing to retain the third baseman Josh Donaldson, who opted to join Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves reacted swiftly and inked two-time All-Star left fielder Marcell Ozuna. Reportedly, Ozuna signed a one-year, $18 million deal with the organization.

The move was officially confirmed on Wednesday on Braves’ social media.

Ozuna, who spent the last two seasons with St. Louis Cardinals, played 130 games in 2019. He finished the regular season hitting .243 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs. He has .263 batting average and 52 homers throughout his stint with Cardinals.

“He ran into some bad luck last year,” said Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos after the deal was done. “We think there’s a lot more in there. We think he can rebound to the season he had with the Marlins in 2017.”

Ozuna is expected to fill the void in the middle of the lineup that was left with Donaldson’s departure. Also, the one-year deal enables the team flexibility to consider other long-term options if the 29-year-old doesn’t deliver.

“This was just another chance to add another big power bat,” Anthopoulos added. “The focus wasn’t on getting an outfielder or a cleanup hitter. Our focus is just getting good hitters and good players.”

Marcell Ozuna made his MLB debut in 2013 with Miami Marlins. Over the course of his time in Miami, Ozuna had two All-Star appearances in 2016 and 2017, while also winning Gold Globe and Silver Slugger awards.

Ozuna’s career stats include .273 batting average, 148 homers, and 538 RBIs.

The post Braves Ink Marcell Ozuna on a 1-Year, $18 Million Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Despite a debut 2020 season in Atlanta which saw him come close to winning the National League Triple Crown, ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that outfielder/DH Marcell Ozuna is looking likely to sign elsewhere in free agency.

Olney says that there is very little chance that the burly outfielder, who hit .338 with 18 home runs and 56 RBIs in a monster season for the Braves, will re-ink with his 2020 team thanks to their organizational wariness to sign veteran players to long-term deals, which he is seeking.

Ozuna is dealing with the handicap of teams not knowing whether the designated hitter will be used in both leagues next season. If it is, NL teams would be more likely to give a long-term deal to the Dominican slugger, whose defense has gone downhill in recent seasons.

The White Sox, Blue Jays, Mets, and Giants have been some of the teams that are reportedly interesting in adding Ozuna this offseason, who is reportedly looking for at least a four-year contract.

It remains to be seen, however, whether or not a team will be willing to offer him that sort of deal based on diminished revenues following a COVID-19-affected 2020 campaign.

Spring Training gets underway next month, and it appears that Ozuna will not be with the Braves when that time comes despite his success with the team last season.

The post Braves Looking Unlikely to Re-Sign Marcell Ozuna appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Atlanta Braves’ wins over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday and Wednesday might not have seemed like a big deal at first glance, but Braves outfielders Marcell Ozuna and Adam Duvall combined to make history during the dog days of summer.

Ozuna and Duvall became the first teammates in the history of Major League Baseball to hit three home runs in back-to-back games, an astonishing feat considering the 117-year history of the world’s premier baseball league.

Ozuna got the party started on Tuesday night in the Braves’ 10-3 win, going yard off of Ryan Weber, Robert Stock, and Kyle Hart and driving in a total of six runs.

On Wednesday, Duvall was the Braves’ main offensive threat in a 7-5 triumph that saw him blast two-run bombs off of Mike Kickham and Andrew Triggs as well as a solo shot in the eighth inning off of Ryan Brasier to give the Braves insurance.

Amazingly, the home run that gave the Braves the lead earlier in the game came off of the bat of none other than Marcell Ozuna.

The Braves will look to extend their streak of three home run games to three on Friday as they host the Washington Nationals.

The post Braves’ Ozuna, Duvall Become First Players in History to Hit 3 HR in Back-to-Back Games appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Major League Baseball Spring Training has kicked off, meaning that real baseball games are just around the corner. The teams have more than a month of practices and exhibition games to go before the regular season gets going, but the excitement for a new season is palpable already.

This offseason was full of significant transactions that have changed the baseball landscape, bringing new faces to new teams. Let’s take a look at the three free agents who joined new teams that are set to have the biggest impacts on their new squads.

Anthony Rendon: Los Angeles Angels

The Angels signed arguably the biggest free agent of the winter, locking up third baseman Anthony Rendon for the next seven years at a cost of $245 million.

The Orange County club has underachieved since Mike Trout, the best baseball player in the world, debuted as a full-time player in 2012, making the playoffs once since then. Rendon should help them get closer to that goal and provide Trout with much-needed lineup support.

Rendon has hit at least 25 home runs and batted .300 for the last three seasons. At age 29, he is at his peak and should help the Angels become a playoff threat.

Gerrit Cole: New York Yankees

Gerrit Cole escaped the mess that is the Houston Astros organization this offseason for the Bronx, inking the richest contract in the history of baseball for a pitcher.

Cole turned the Yankees from merely one of the best teams in the league into a World Series favorite. The 2019 AL Cy Young Award winner turned into one of the premier pitchers in the game while in Houston, recording a sub-2.90 ERA and 275 or more strikeouts the past two seasons.

If Cole can successfully navigate the hitter-friendly combines of Yankee Stadium, he could be the missing piece that leads the Yankees to their first World Series title since 2009.

Marcell Ozuna: Atlanta Braves

Marcell Ozuna was an underrated name on this offseason’s list of free agents. Why? The Dominican-born outfielder had a slightly down 2019 season, batting .240 and 29 home runs while struggling with bad luck with a .257 BABIP.

Ozuna did, however, show plate discipline improvement that should make him one of the premier power hitters in baseball in 2020 if he continues to mash home runs. His signing represents a huge upgrade for the Braves, who have had Nick Markakis entrenched in the left-field position that their new signing is expected to occupy.

Adding Ozuna to a lineup that already has Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, and MVP candidate Ronald Acuña Jr. turns the Braves into World Series contenders if their young pitching staff can continue to make strides forward.

The post These MLB Free Agent Signings Will Have the Biggest Impact on Their New Clubs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After failing to retain the third baseman Josh Donaldson, who opted to join Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves reacted swiftly and inked two-time All-Star left fielder Marcell Ozuna. Reportedly, Ozuna signed a one-year, $18 million deal with the organization.

The move was officially confirmed on Wednesday on Braves’ social media.

Ozuna, who spent the last two seasons with St. Louis Cardinals, played 130 games in 2019. He finished the regular season hitting .243 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs. He has .263 batting average and 52 homers throughout his stint with Cardinals.

“He ran into some bad luck last year,” said Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos after the deal was done. “We think there’s a lot more in there. We think he can rebound to the season he had with the Marlins in 2017.”

Ozuna is expected to fill the void in the middle of the lineup that was left with Donaldson’s departure. Also, the one-year deal enables the team flexibility to consider other long-term options if the 29-year-old doesn’t deliver.

“This was just another chance to add another big power bat,” Anthopoulos added. “The focus wasn’t on getting an outfielder or a cleanup hitter. Our focus is just getting good hitters and good players.”

Marcell Ozuna made his MLB debut in 2013 with Miami Marlins. Over the course of his time in Miami, Ozuna had two All-Star appearances in 2016 and 2017, while also winning Gold Globe and Silver Slugger awards.

Ozuna’s career stats include .273 batting average, 148 homers, and 538 RBIs.

The post Braves Ink Marcell Ozuna on a 1-Year, $18 Million Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.