Braves' Marcell Ozuna Labeled Yankees Trade Target

Trade rumors continue to heat up around Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.

On Friday, Sports Illustrated's Nick Selbe and Will Laws included Ozuna on their list of 25 potential trade candidates for the 2025 MLB trade deadline. Selbe and Laws named five teams as "best fits" for Ozuna.

Most notably, the SI editors named the New York Yankees a fit for the designated hitter.

"After mashing 79 homers over the last two seasons and finishing fourth in NL MVP voting last year, Ozuna’s power has significantly fallen off in his age-34 season, though he’s partially compensated by trailing only Juan Soto in walk rate (17.3%)," Selbe and Laws wrote. "It’s hard to imagine the Braves waving the white flag unless things really unravel, especially after they won the 2021 World Series with a late-season surge sparked by additions from GM Alex Anthopoulos.

"But if Atlanta ends up dealing anyone, it’ll probably be their only pending free agent of much value."

The Braves brought back Ozuna on a $16 million club option for 2025. The former outfielder, who will turn 35 in November, will be an unrestricted free agent this winter.

Ozuna enters the home series with the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday with a .247/.378/.404 slash line. He also has 11 home runs, 40 RBI and 34 runs in 339 plate appearances across 77 games.

In addition to the Yankees, Selbe and Laws labeled the Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins to be "best fits" for Ozuna if he's traded.

Ultimately, though, the SI editors predicted Ozuna not to be dealt at the MLB trade deadline.

That's the safest bet. Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos emphatically stated on June 18 that he will not sell at the MLB trade deadline. However, that was before Chris Sale landed on the injured list with a ribcage issue.

The Braves sit six games below .500 and 10 games out of first place in the National League East entering Friday. If they don't make a move in the standings and even fall further back in the race, then it's not inconceivable to think Anthopoulos will change his mind about the deadline.

Complicating matters with Ozuna, though, is the fact that he possesses 10-5 rights. With 10 years in the big leagues and five consecutive seasons with the same team, he has the right to veto any trade the Braves try to make with him.

New York might be a place Ozuna would accept a trade. But for now, Ozuna doesn't appear to be going anywhere before the end of the season.