The Cincinnati Reds should be looking at each and every way to try to improve their offense going into the 2026 season.
One MLB analyst suggests the Reds should sign former Atlanta Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna in free agency.
“Coming off a Cinderella run to the postseason, it’s clear addressing the lineup must be priority No. 1,” Jordan Leandre of JustBaseball.com wrote. “It doesn’t just make sense for them, though, as Great American Ball Park makes a lot of sense for Ozuna also. The slugger hit 21 home runs this past season, but Statcast says he’d have had 24 in Cincinnati. Dubbed with the nickname of “Great American Small Park,” the Reds are a safe haven for offensive production, making them an attractive destination.”
Despite being 35 years old, Ozuna has still put up good numbers over the last three seasons. In 2023, Ozuna had an OPS of .905 with 70 extra-base hits, including 40 home runs. In 2024, the slugger has an even bigger season with an OPS of .925 with 70 extra-base hits, including 39 home runs. In 2025, he fell off significantly, but still had an OPS of .756 with 40 extra-base hits, including 21 home runs.
To put Ozuna’s .756 OPS in perspective, that would have put him second on the Reds, right behind Elly De La Cruz, who had an OPS of .776.
ESPN projects Ozuna to get a two-year, $30 million deal. That is the type of deal the Reds should be able to afford and one that doesn’t impact them long-term.
The veteran Ozuna doesn’t play the field much anymore; in fact, he didn’t play a single game in the field in 2025. However, the Reds need guys who can hit, and Ozuna would provide pop, especially at Great American Ball Park.