Free-agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna has seemingly identified his top two remaining suitors. Ozuna suggested to Hector Gomez of Deportivo Z 101 (hat tip to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale) that he’s deciding between his latest team, the Cardinals, and the Rangers. He indicated that the Cardinals are his preferred choice.
The 29-year-old Ozuna is coming off a solid two-season run in St. Louis, which acquired him from Miami entering 2018. Ozuna was then fresh off a 5.0-fWAR season with the Marlins. He wasn’t as effective as a Cardinal, but he did post a pair of productive years with the club. Ozuna put up 2.6 fWAR in 2019, when he slashed .243/.330/.474 with 29 home runs and a career-high 12 stolen bases over 549 plate appearances.
On the heels of Ozuna’s quality showing last season, the Cardinals began the winter by issuing him a $17.8MM qualifying offer, which he rejected. But it has been difficult to find another obvious suitor since then for Ozuna, and the Cardinals did just weaken their outfield depth by trading Jose Martinez and Randy Arozarena to the Rays.
Meanwhile, the Rangers have recently been connected to Ozuna and the other most prominent free-agent outfielder, Nicholas Castellanos. It seems the club has some leeriness in regards to the long-maligned defensive abilities of Castellanos, whom it apparently views as more of an infielder than an outfielder. But there’s no doubt that Ozuna’s an outfielder, and he’d fill the Rangers’ need in the grass in the wake of their Nomar Mazara trade with the White Sox. However, one of the big questions is whether the Rangers will pony up for Ozuna, who – along with forcing the team to cough up a substantial amount of money – would cost them their second-highest draft pick in 2020 because he turned down a QO.
Rangers… Just sign Ozuna already! He better defensively… he’ll hit you 20-35 home runs and he’s a solid RBI guy. Just get Todd Frazier for third and bring back Moreland for first… and maybe sign a reliever or 2
Moreland and Frazier should be one or two year deals and bring in a reliever like strop or vizcaino for a one year deal so they won’t be high commitments and Ozuna will probably get a 3-4 year deal with an option for a 5th
He’s not getting 4 years…..
20-35 is a pretty wide net. James trashcanman McCollum will hit you somewhere between 0-15
And a batting average between .175 & .325. Prolly steal 5 to 25 bases too.
You can always count on him to play 70-160 games
True. Can bank on an OPS of .500 to 1.200 too. Rangers should definitely sign him.
Ozuna would cost them a draft pick, though, plus they could occasionally play Castellanos at DH if needed.
It’ll prob be 2 yrs for Ozuna at this point
That is my guess too. Trust me Ozuna isn’t that much better defensively than Castellanos.
He sucks as an outfielder and he is very lazy.
I would rather put Nelson Cruz in the outfield.
Still hurts…
Except you are hilariously wrong. Castellanos was -9 Defensive Runs Saved last season and -36 for his career in the outfield. Ozuna was +4 DRS and is +25 for his career. That is a huge difference in ability
Castellanos was also a infielder moved to the outfield and is trending up while Ozuna’s D is going down.
What are you basing this on? -Castellanos is not going to get much better before the natural decline begins
Ozuna last 3 years DEFENSIVE RUNS SAVED. 11 in 2017.. 8 in 2018. 2 in 2019. His OF assists were 10 to 6 to 4 the last 3 years. See a trend here? As this guy ages and gains weight, that goes along with his low baseball IQ and laziness, he will be a total liability in the field in 2 years. 2/30M is all I would give him.
Dude, Castellanos has never ONCE posted a positive DRS in his entire career, at any position. At RF and LF, Ozuna has never once posted a negative DRS>
Where are you getting low baseball IQ? What stat are you looking at, there? Because he misplayed a ball at the wall once? Or some other totally bullcrap, anecdotal evidence? I’m not the biggest Ozuna fan in the world, but you’re being moronic.
Watch him play. He’s not bright. He makes poor baserunning decisions. Poor routes to the ball. Poor throwing decisions. If you know the game, and how it’s supposed to be played, you would understand. Can hit barrel a ball and hit it 110 mph? Yes. Does that make him a smart player? No. I’m not going to spell out every bad play the guy has made. I don’t have enough time in the week.
Don’t forget, with Ron at the helm, Ozuna is likely to get 4/80 or 5/100 from STL. Ron is known to bid against himself.
Rangers would be better off with Castellanos. He’s a superior hitter, can play some 1B as well as OF, and he wouldn’t cost a draft pick. Ozuna’s not great defensively either, and his offensive numbers are all over the map. Not really sure what your getting with Ozuna. He would take playing time away from Calhoun unless Choo was traded. He’ll re-sign with St. Louis.
Nick Castellanos has never lined up at 1B in his minor league or professional career. Not even once.
fangraphs.com/players/nicholas-castellanos/11737/s…
I’m aware of that. He’s played 3B. He can be taught 1B. Ozuna’s never played anywhere but the OF.
By the logic, Ozuna can be taught 1st base too. Just because a guy can play 3rd base, does not mean he can also play 1st, especially since Castellanos was absolutely pitiful in the dirt.
Can’t disagree. Ozuna could be taught 1B as well. My point was Castellanos would probably pick it up faster since he’s played on the infield. I’d even bet he’d be a better 1B than Ozuna. Neither would be spectacular. I’d take the better hitter of the two. That’s Castellanos.
Castellanos ability to play 1st is moot due to the presence of the DH. He’d play OF for a season, then move to full time DH after Choo’s contract is up. Ozuna is the far superior OF and arguably not much worse with a bat so he’s the better candidate in my eyes
Gotta disagree with you there. We don’t know how Castellanos would play at 1B. The Rangers have many players who are defensive liabilities. Calhoun, Santana, Solak, Odor. You don’t want to hamstring your team by signing a guy to be your full time DH with so many others who need to use it. You need roster flexibility.
As far as Ozuna goes, he seems to play only when he feels like it. He’s extremely talented. His numbers in 2017 were off the charts. What happened? I think he mails it in. Last year was a contract year. His numbers will drop next season. You can count on that.
um yeah.. pretty much any 3B can play first
Not everyone can be taught to play 1B. See: Matt Holliday
Billy Beane: We want you at first base, it’s not that hard. Tell him Wash’
Ron Washington: It’s incredibly hard.
Agree. Ozuna is not a deal long-term. He’s expensive and not versatile. Castellanos is a better option.
Looks like the Rangers & Red birds. Ozuna & Castellanos headed to those two?
Yep
Still hoping for a senzel/lindor trade and reds sign Ozuna. Prob put reds over max they wanna spend however. Be nice to pry him away from cardinals.
Les, if Reds get Lindor they won’t go for Ozuna, too much dough and a draft pic, not worth it. But would like 2 c Texas take him just to change Cards outlook, this could b a breakout year for several Reds outfielders, anyone could guess Winker, Senzel or Aristides!!
When speaking of defense, has no-one seen that Ozuna’s outfield arm is totally shot now? It is Juan Pierre bad. Cards fans cringe when thinking about him out there. He is much worse than the numbers say.
His arm had mostly recovered last year. It is NOT totally shot.
Wasn’t as bad. But it still wasn’t pretty
Just have to send the cutoff man out a little further.
His arm is pretty poor for an outfielder. Unless he has made some miraculous recovery this off-season.
I wonder if the approximately $2 1/2M the Cardinals saved by trading Martinez will be reinvested by upping their offer to Ozuna.
I’m hoping the Cardinals can get him back in left field. He was on pace to have a very good year if not missing about a month. Right now Cardinals are going into the season with Lane Thomas as their best offensive outfielder. I like him but thats not good. I worry about the length of the contract. Ozuna may go for a 2-3 year deal if AAV is decent because then he could get one more big contract at age 31-32.
Mr Thomas is one hell of a hitter. And he is hungry. He wants to play.
Not afraid of Ozuna, especially as he ages, so he can stay in the NL. Like to see Castellanos back in the AL, though.
Here’s the latest on Ozuna. Agent is asking for 3/50. Ron and the Cards are offering 4/80.
Who is Ron? That’s the second time you’ve posted that.
Cardinals GM John Mozeliak. Cardinals fans call him Mo. This person has called him Moron, or. Ron for short.
Bingo!
Sooooo the post referring to Ron was a reference to the movie Moneyball. Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) is telling out-of-work Scott Hatteberg (catcher) that he wants to sign him to play 1B instead of his normal position. Beane had “Ron” Washington with him and asked him to back him on the notion that it’s easy to play 1B. Ron says “it ain’t easy”.
The post above says Ron Washington… that’s “Ron”.
Your comment is awaiting moderation. I thought I would just save the crybabies who report people the time.
I would prefer Castellanos at first/dh/of over Ozuna. I don’t see ozuna as being that much better defensively in the outfield and not at all at first.. What would be best is either of these two plus managing a big trade for Arenado. The trade is still a long shot but a year or two of Frazier would fill in for now. Sneak in one bullpen arm (Kintzler, Strop, or maby McHugh) and I would call them contenders.
For a 2 year deal, Ozuna makes sense. His numbers have been heading in the wrong direction so it feels risky to go long term on his deal. Maybe 3rd-year team option.
If the Cards could sign Ozuna on a 2 year deal I think its worth it. Probably not gonna happen but if they could pull off an Arenado trade somehow and dump either Carp or Fowler then theor lineup would be pretty filthy and defensively the best in the N.L.
I think what would make sense would be to stay in St. Louis on a one year $18 million contract, with a player option for a second year at $19 million. If Ozuna accepts and has a big year in 2020, he could not use the option and re-enter free agency next season w/o a qualifying offer and be in line for a big payday. If he’s the same in 2020 as 2019, he likely exercises the option and ends up with a $37 million, two-year deal. The Cardinals get some stability in the outfield and a middle of the order bat, while Ozuna earns $18 million, plays for a good team in a place he likes, and still has the option for a huge payday w/o the burden of draft pick compensation.
KEEP OZUNA
DON’T SIGN OZUNA!
Rangers please get Ozuna! Worst thing the Rangers did in recent years was to let Nelson Cruz walk.
worst thing rangers did ever was leave Cruz in the out field in the world series.
run to the wall…..turn around……catch the ball…. celebrate!
Ozuna makes no sense for us. He’s a corner outfielder. We have Calhoun and Gallo. Unless Ozuna can magically play CF well again, there’s no point. Just get Castellanos. He’s younger and more flexible position wise.
The Cardinals need Ozuna in 2020. Maybe they can sign him to a front loaded extended contract such as they did in the past with Johnny Peralta.
Ozuna makes no sense for Texas unless he can play CF. We already had Mazara’s replacement in house with Calhoun so saying Ozuna would replace him is false. Castellanos makes more sense as he could be taught 1B and then he could play there and rotate in at DH as well.