Pirates In-House Marcell Ozuna Replacements
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates watched veteran slugger Marcell Ozuna slam his sixth home run of the season over the left field fence.
It was fitting that the Pirates hitter ended his 13-game home run drought at Sutter Health Park, the temporary home of the Oakland Athletics as they relocate to Las Vegas. Sutter Health Park is the home of the Athletics' Triple-A team, which is also the level of play Marcell Ozuna is currently providing the ball club.
MARCELL SHELLED HIM. (448 feet) pic.twitter.com/mvrgjIes1b
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 18, 2026
Call it harsh, but the man has just 38 hits in 213 plate appearances with the Pirates. It's simply not even close to a good enough offensive performance at the designated hitter position. Within their own clubhouse and organization, the Pirates have several options that would be an immediate upgrade.
Keeping Endy Rodriguez With MLB Club
This seems obvious, but Endy Rodriguez has to stay with the MLB club, even after the full arsenal of catchers is healthy and available. Rodriguez has shown significant pop at the plate, and he's held his own defensively. With Henry Davis struggling at the plate and Bart missing nearly two months of action, Rodriguez is the top option right now.
Even if the Pirates don't want Rodriguez catching, they have another immediate use for him. He can be the designated hitter, replacing Ozuna, and give them greater reliability and production.
Esmerlyn Valdez Time
If the Pirates want to take a risk on a hitter, they should be giving Esmerlyn Valdez as many at-bats as possible. The 22-year-old has been mashing the ball in Triple-A this season, posting 13 home runs over his first 237 plate appearances.
The other key for Valdez is that he's a right-handed hitter, like Ozuna. If keeping that right-side power presence on the roster is a priority, Valdez is a boom-or-bust option that is cheaper and still developing.
Injury Reinforcements
The Pirates have a pair of sluggers still on the Injured List, and when they return, the middle of the order will see a huge boost. Shortstop Konnor Griffin has taken strides in his rehab process, while outfielder Oneil Cruz is working his way back to the active roster.
When both return, the Pirates will have plenty of options. Either one can return to their usual defensive spots, or they could return as the DH for a brief amount of time. The Buccos might find that option particularly appealing for Cruz, whose defensive struggles have continued well into 2026. As the DH, the Pirates can just utilize his power-hitting capabilities.
With this many options, the leash on Ozuna has to be cut. It's been nearly half of the regular season, and he's been a shell of the 30-home run player he once was. With so many internal options, the Pirates have to move on from Ozuna and give one of these other players a shot.
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Jacob is a featured writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for Steelers On SI and the NHL for Breakaway On SI. He also co-hosts the All Steelers Talk podcast. Previous work covering the NHL for Inside the Penguins and The Hockey News.