Pirates’ Marcell Ozuna signing feels like a shortcut instead of a real solution

The Pittsburgh Pirates needed offense. That much was obvious. They needed impact, they needed lineup protection, and they needed someone who could change how opposing managers map out the late innings against Paul Skenes’ club.

Instead, they signed Marcell Ozuna to a one-year, $12 million deal with a $16 million mutual option for 2027 — and it feels less like a statement and more like a patch.

Ozuna’s surface numbers will get cited immediately. Twenty-one homers. A 15.9% walk rate. A .355 OBP. “Above-average hitter.” But the underlying red flags are hard to ignore.

Ozuna's speed dropped 1.1 mph in 2025. His slugging percentage fell more than 100 points against every pitch group. He struggled handling pitches low in the zone, and the dip in bat speed showed up early — April ’25 vs. April ’24 — which suggests this wasn’t just a late-season fade.

Yes, the hip injury Ozuna suffered last year could explain some of it. That’s fair. But “maybe it was the hip” is not a process. It’s a hope. And $12 million for hope isn’t exactly the hallmark of a forward-thinking offensive plan.

The other wrinkle? Ryan O'Hearn.

O’Hearn was one of the best defensive first basemen in baseball last season. Quietly elite. Reliable. Efficient around the bag. Now, if Ozuna becomes the primary DH, O’Hearn likely shifts to the outfield more frequently — weakening a strength to accommodate a bat that may or may not be in decline.

You’re solving one problem while creating another. That’s not roster optimization. That’s juggling.

Pirates' Marcell Ozuna signing solves one problem (on paper, at least) but creates another

The frustration isn’t just about Ozuna the player. It’s about what this represents.

After missing on bigger-impact options and watching the market dry up, the Pirates pivoted to the cleanest available “power bat” left on the board. It’s the baseball equivalent of grabbing something off the clearance rack because you ran out of time.

There were other ways for the Pirates to spend $12 million. They could have made a trade for a controllable third baseman. They could have engaged in an earlier, more aggressive pursuit of a bat with upward trends instead of downward ones. They could have doubled down on defensive stability and reallocated resources elsewhere.

Instead, this feels like Pittsburgh prioritized immediate optics — “We added power!” — over long-term structure.

Ozuna might hit 25 home runs. He might bounce back. He might make this column look overly cautious by June.

But the Pirates didn’t invest in a player on the rise. They invested in a 35-year-old whose bat speed is trending the wrong direction, whose production dipped across pitch groups, and whose fit requires rearranging other strengths on the roster. For a team trying to convince fans that contention is the goal — not just competence — that matters.

The Pirates needed conviction, but this feels more like convenience. And in the NL Central race, convenience rarely wins you October.