The writing may be on the wall for Marcell Ozuna after latest Pirates decision

When the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Marcell Ozuna to a one-year, $12 million deal this offseason, the idea was to inject some power into a lineup that desperately needed it

Instead, Ozuna has become one of the biggest problems on the roster. And after five straight games without a start, the writing may finally be on the wall.

The Pirates have quietly gone 4-1 during Ozuna's absence from the starting lineup. While much of the attention has focused on the emergence of Brandon Lowe, the consistency of Ryan O'Hearn and the continued development of the club's young core, there's another reality that's becoming impossible to ignore: this team looks objectively better when Ozuna isn't playing.

That's a harsh assessment for a player with Ozuna's track record, but the numbers leave little room for debate. Through 172 at-bats, Ozuna is slashing just .186 with five home runs, a .573 OPS and a 61 OPS+. His -0.8 bWAR ranks among the worst marks on the roster.

Not only has Ozuna failed to provide the offensive production the Pirates were counting on; he's actively hurt the team every time he's been in the lineup. That's a fatal flaw for a player whose value is tied exclusively to his bat.

Marcell Ozuna's five-game absence makes his Pirates future look far less secure

We're now more than two months into the season and there's been little indication a turnaround is coming for Ozuna. His power has disappeared. His batting average has cratered. His overall offensive profile looks nothing like the player who made multiple All-Star teams and received MVP votes during his time with the Atlanta Braves.

At some point, the Pirates have to stop evaluating Ozuna based on who he used to be and start evaluating him based on who he is right now: a designated hitter who isn't hitting.

The five-game benching feels significant because it may represent a philosophical shift from the organization. For weeks, Ozuna remained in the lineup despite the lack of production while the Pirates continued hoping the veteran slugger would rediscover his swing.

At first, the long leash was understandable. Teams don't like admitting mistakes, especially expensive ones. But $12 million can't be a reason to keep giving away at-bats.

If anything, the Pirates have shown during this recent stretch that they have alternatives. O'Hearn has provided power. Lowe has provided power. So have Bryan Reynolds and Spencer Horwitz. The lineup hasn't suddenly become dependent on Ozuna's bat to generate offense. In fact, it's functioning just fine without him.

That's what makes this situation increasingly difficult to justify. If Ozuna were making the league minimum, there's a strong argument he already would've been designated for assignment. The only thing keeping him on the roster may be the size of the contract and the hope that a veteran with his resume eventually figures things out.

But roster spots and at-bats have value, and teams in contention can't afford to let sunk costs dictate personnel decisions forever.

The Pirates' four-game win streak has launched them back into second place in the NL Central, smack in the middle of the playoff picture. If they view themselves as legitimate contenders, they have an obligation to put the best possible lineup on the field every night — and right now, that lineup probably doesn't include Ozuna.

Maybe the veteran gets one more opportunity to prove he belongs. Maybe the Pirates give him a few more weeks to show signs of life offensively. But five consecutive games on the bench sends a message. Whether the Pirates are ready to admit it publicly or not, they appear to be reaching the same conclusion many fans reached weeks ago.

The experiment isn't working. And if things don't change soon, the next decision may be much more permanent than simply sitting out another game.

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