Pirates can hope Marcell Ozuna is turning a corner, but warning signs remain

Marcell Ozuna is back in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lineup Tuesday against a right-handed starter, which is notable mostly because it has become such a rarity.

Maybe this is the beginning of something. Maybe the 448-foot homer in Sacramento wasn't just a one-night reminder of who Ozuna used to be, but the start of a real late-June surge. He enters Tuesday's game hitting .292 this month, and for a Pirates team still searching for consistent offense, that is enough to at least make the door crack open again.

But hope can't erase the larger reality. Ozuna is still batting .199 on the season. His OPS is still under .600. He has spent most of the season looking like a hitter chasing the version of himself that hit 79 homers from 2023-24, and the Pirates have already given him more than enough runway to prove that hitter is still in there. None of that should get lost because of one loud swing.

Pirates can’t ignore Marcell Ozuna’s recent surge, but they shouldn’t buy in just yet

Ozuna has been pushed into a smaller role with the Pirates because, for most of the season, he did not hit enough to justify more than that. When a 35-year-old DH-only bat isn't producing, there aren't many other ways to rationalize his presence.

The Pirates have already tried patience, but at some point, production has to matter more than the possibility of production. That is especially true with Konnor Griffin and Oneil Cruz working their way back from the IL. When those two return, the DH spot becomes even more valuable. The Pirates may need it to rotate Bryan Reynolds, Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn or others through partial rest days.

None of that makes Ozuna’s professionalism meaningless. By every account, he has been a good teammate. He has stayed positive, supported younger players and handled a diminished role with more grace than plenty of veterans would. That matters inside a clubhouse, but it still doesn't answer the baseball question.

The Pirates signed Ozuna to lengthen the lineup and punish mistakes. One homer against the Athletics was encouraging, and a .292 June average is at least worth acknowledging. A start against a righty suggests the Pirates are willing to see whether there is more there, but this can't become another month-long experiment based on one promising night..

If Ozuna is going to force his way back into the Pirates’ plans, it has to happen now. Not because he deserves another chance, but because he has already had plenty of them.

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