Ozuna Landing Spots: Houston Astros
Marcell Ozuna went from loved by the fanbase in 2020 to hated by the fanbase after his arrest & initial report of his incident with his wife this past season, to now being a point of contention.
After the police bodycam was released last week, the fanbase as far as I can tell, is split just about down the middle on whether or not he should suit up again for the Braves or if Atlanta should do whatever they can to get him off this roster.
I am firmly in the camp campaigning for him to be dealt or cut. Obviously including him in a trade package is the best available option, considering he’s owed $48,000,000 over the next three seasons ($64,000,000 if the team’s option for 2025 is exercised).
I’m not one to just sit back & wonder. So I started looking at the rosters & payrolls of every team in baseball to identify which teams would logically be interested in acquiring Marcell Ozuna. I didn’t factor morals into these considerations because it’s impossible for me to know whether or not a front office is comfortable bringing in Ozuna & trotting him out there in front of their fanbase.
Coming off the recent World Series matchup with Houston & my recent article on Carlos Correa, the Houston Astros were the first team I arrived on.
Who Houston Would Send
Michael Brantley. The 35-year old Leftfielder can flat out hit. Over his 12-year career he 162-game average is 186 hits, 14 homeruns, 81 RBI, a slash line of: .298/.355/.440/.795, & an OPS+ of 117.
Analytically in 2021 he was in the 100th percentile in xBA (he was the best in baseball), 99th percentile in K%, & 99th percentile in Whiff%.
This is his 2021 Hits Spray Chart:
With Brantley being in the last year of his contract, he’s a trade candidate at the deadline this coming season anyway. Houston outfielders McCormick, Siri, Tucker, & Alvarez would be more than capable of patrolling Minute Maid Park in his absence, plus Ozuna & Cristian Pache.