Phillies

Larry Andersen Will Be Happy to Know that Marcell Ozuna and his Hand Dances are Out of the NL East

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Feb 9th, 2026 · 10:39 AM EST

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Ozuna to the Yinzers:

Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in agreement on a one-year, $12 million contract with a mutual option for 2027, sources tell ESPN. The deal will pay Ozuna $10.5M this year with a $16M option that has a $1.5M buyout. @JonHeyman was first on the news.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 9, 2026

It’s a very Pittsburgh move, giving $12 million to a 35-year-old designated hitter coming off a hip injury. Ozuna’s numbers were way down last season, just 68 RBI, 21 homers, and a .756 OPS after being an All-Star in 2024, which, admittedly, is pretty good for a “down” year, but not up to his typical standard. He slashed .232/.355/.400 on a Braves team that was wracked with injuries and won 76 games. The dude still draws walks at a high clip, doesn’t chase like the Phils do, and will contribute to a hopeless team that isn’t winning anything any time soon.

More importantly, Ozuna is off the Braves. He is taking his hand dances with him to Yinzerville:

[Highlight] The Phillies radio call of Marcell Ozuna’s home run in the tenth.
by u/handlit33 in baseball