rewrite this title Three potential landing spots for Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna

The Atlanta Braves begin the second half of the 2025 MLB season with a 42-53 record and a 12.5-game deficit in the National League East.

It’s an unfamiliar place for the Braves, a franchise that has not missed the postseason since 2017. Thanks to numerous injuries and a stumbling start to the campaign (going 4-11 in their first 15 games), Atlanta now has just a 3.3 percent chance of making the postseason, according to FanGraphs.

With that slim of a chance, the Braves are expected to be sellers at the upcoming MLB trade deadline (set for July 31 at 6 p.m. ET). One of the players who could be on the move is veteran designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.

The 34-year-old is in the final year of a five-year, $80 million deal and has plenty of pop left at the plate, hitting 13 homers and driving in 42 runs in his first 318 at-bats of the season. However, he hit just .188 in 114 June plate appearances and .161 in 38 PAs in July, so teams will be banking on a change of scenery doing him well if a trade happens.

While his .762 OPS at the All-Star break trails his last two seasons, where he posted .905 and .925, respectively, there is still plenty to like about having his bat in the lineup.

So, which teams could use Ozuna? Here are three potential landing spots.

Texas Rangers

Just 3.5 games out of a wild-card spot in the American League, the Rangers could use some offense in the second half. The .676 OPS posted by Texas before the All-Star break ranked 25th among MLB’s 30 teams.

Specifically looking at the designated hitter spot (a position Ozuna has slotted in for the Braves in every game he has appeared since the start of the 2024 campaign), Texas has a minus-1.1 Wins Above Average (WAA) from their DHs this season. That’s tied for 25th, and it’s a clear area where Texas could upgrade at the trade deadline.

San Diego Padres

Looking to chase down the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, the Padres could also use some help at the DH spot, a position where Gavin Sheets has dominated the playing time this season. Sheets has seen time at first and in left field, though, meaning a pickup of Ozuna would likely cement Sheets outside of the DH spot.

The Padres are 28th in WAA at the DH spot, posting a minus-1.3 before the All-Star Game. San Diego is 23rd in OPS (.689) and 27th in home runs (83), showing that a power boost could be much needed in the 619.

Milwaukee Brewers

MLB insider Jeff Passan of ESPN recently told a Milwaukee radio station that he believed the Brewers were “one big bat away from being a legitimate World Series contender.” Could that big bat be Ozuna?

Milwaukee ranks 23rd in home runs (93) and 22nd in slugging percentage (.383), indicating that power is an area where the Brewers, just one game behind the Chicago Cubs for the NL Central lead, could improve. 

That said, Christian Yelich has logged 347 plate appearances at DH this season in Milwaukee, and the 0.7 WAA the Brewers have at the position is tied for sixth in MLB.

Would the Brewers be willing to figure out a way Yelich and Ozuna could both be in the lineup? That could be the biggest question that needs to be answered if Milwaukee and Atlanta discussed a deal for the slugger.