NORTH PORT, Fla. — Marcell Ozuna was the worst everyday player in the majors in 2022, the year after he’d served an MLB suspension for domestic violence. Those developments put his baseball future in question. The Braves had paid him nearly $32 million for those two lost years and probably would have sent him packing if they didn’t still owe him $32 million for 2023 and 2024.
Ozuna showed up at spring training last year and admitted that he hadn’t worked hard to get ready for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He said he put in the work for 2023, cleared his mind and blocked out the jeers from Braves fans who’d turned against him. Ozuna said he even planned to play some left field after improving his arm strength.
That last part didn’t happen for Ozuna. It didn’t matter because he had one of the best-ever seasons by a full-time designated hitter.
Ozuna clubbed 40 home runs and produced 100 RBIs. Those were the most homers by a full-time DH since fellow Dominican David Ortiz hit 47 in 2005 for the Red Sox. Ozuna’s days of playing the field might be over, but it turns out he wasn’t washed up as a hitter.
The way Ozuna sees it, last season was proof that he still can produce at the plate like he did from 2014 to 2020 with the Marlins, Cardinals and Braves.