Marcell Ozuna’s shrinking market may see him join the Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds outfield appears to be a bit crowded at the moment, however, Marcell Ozuna’s market appears to be shrinking. Could he still sign with the Reds?

Marcell Ozuna has been rumored to be on the Cincinnati Reds radar since the offseason began. Of late, little has been said regarding the 29-year-old outfielder. However, in an article for The Athletic by C. Trent Rosecrans, Reds GM Dick Williams said it’s very possible to see a trade or free agent signing before camp. Might Ozuna still find his way to the Queen City?

It’s a bit strange that Ozuna has yet to sign a multi-year contract this winter. The same can be said for Nicholas Castellanos. Both players were, at one time, rumored to be on the Reds wishlist. However, the team’s acquisition of Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama seems to have put a halt on any talk of the Reds adding another outfielder.

To be honest, the Cincinnati outfield seems a bit crowded at the moment. Currently, there appears to be four starting-caliber outfielders vying for three positions. Akiyama will be a regular in the Reds lineup and can play all over the outfield. But, Nick Senzel, Jesse Winker, and Aristides Aquino are in line for excessive playing time as well. Also, don’t forget about Phillip Ervin.

So, if the Reds already have too many quality outfielders, why would the front office entertain the idea of signing Marcell Ozuna? Well, for one, he’d bring a right-handed power bat to the middle of the batting order. Aquino and Eugenio Suárez possess the ability to hit 30-plus homers, but so does Ozuna. Adding his bat would certainly upgrade the lineup.

While Ozuna has had his share of flubs in the outfield, he’s an above-average defender. The two-time All-Star took home a Gold Glove in 2017 while playing for the Miami Marlins, and for his career, Ozuna has 23 defensive runs saved (DRS) while playing left field. Winker, who’d likely open as the Reds starter in left field, has -21 DRS as an outfielder.

Adding Ozuna would certainly make one, if not two, outfielders expendable. With the Reds need for relief pitching and possibly a shortstop, packaging a player like Senzel, Winker, or Ervin in order to upgrade other parts of the roster could be in the cards.

The St. Louis Cardinals have been the most prominent team linked to Marcell Ozuna. However, the outfield in the Gateway City has become a bit crowded as well. Harrison Bader, Dexter Fowler, and Tommy Edman are likely to see a lot of time on the outfield grass at Busch Stadium. Youngsters like Dylan Carlson and Lane Thomas are also likely to see an increase in playing time next season.

The Texas Rangers are another ball club who’ve been associated with Marcell Ozuna. But it appears as though the Lone Stars have zeroed in on former Chicago Cubs outfielder Nicholas Castellanos. In fact, just a few days ago, Jon Morosi of MLB Network said that the Rangers were the favorites to land Castellanos.

The market for Marcell Ozuna is shrinking and that may play to the Cincinnati Reds advantage. Do the Reds need Ozuna to compete for the NL Central crown? No, but adding his bat gives the front office more flexibility to makes other moves that could put Cincinnati in the driver’s seat, not just for a division crown, but possibly the National League pennant.