Ben Cherington’s Marcell Ozuna defense does little to calm frustrated Pirates fans

There is one thing that supersedes all else in a designated hitter's job description: hit well. Unless you've been living under a rock in 2026, you know that Marcell Ozuna has fallen well short of that goal in his maiden campaign with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Through his first 39 games (166 plate appearances) with the Buccos, the 35-year-old hit .182/.271/.318. Even if you combine every extra-base hit (10), RBI (16), and walk (16) he's gotten in that span, you'd still fall short of his strikeout total (46). That is a complete failure on every level from a full-time DH.

Ben Cherington had a really strong offseason piecing together this roster, but Ozuna was a clear-cut whiff. There's no shame in missing on one guy, but continuing to defend his place on the team reeks of someone unwilling to admit their mistakes. Alas, Cherington isn't ready to give up on his $12 million slugger quite yet.

“He’s definitely going to have runway,” Cherington said. “I don’t think it’s a stress point right now because on the days Donnie has decided he’s going to put someone else out there and give him a day, he’s a total pro. There’s no change. He’s part of the team. We are excited he’s a part of the team. Over the course of the season, we believe the numbers will be there.”

Pirates are living in delusion if they think Marcell Ozuna can live up to his contract

Slow starts are nothing new for Ozuna. In 2023, he opened the year in a 3-for-43 slump. He wound up with 40 home runs and a 140 wRC+ as the offensive leader of the Atlanta Braves.

Unfortunately, the same turnaround almost certainly isn't coming this season. All of his contact quality metrics have dropped precipitously since that huge season in 2023, and even his once-elite swing speed is now merely sitting in above-average territory.

The good news is he has bounced back from a truly abhorrent start to the season. As of April 15, his wRC+ was in the negatives; now, it sits at 70. That's still unacceptable from a DH — that figure suggests he's been 30% worse than the league-average hitter this year — but it is technically an improvement, one that at least offers hope he can continue to climb further as the weather grows warmer.

But the fact that we're already at the "total pro" stage of his Pirates tenure is telling. That's the kind of coach/front-office speak that's reserved for aging veterans on their way out of the league. The Bucs aren't going to dump him and eat his salary, so we may merely be looking at a $12 million money pit who can take some pinch-hit at-bats when the moment calls for it.

Not exactly a great return on investment there, Mr. Cherington.

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