Braves Predicted to Cut Ties with 3-Time All-Star Via Trade to Red-Hot Rangers

A disastrous season for the Atlanta Braves can hardly be salvaged at the trade deadline, but there are still moves to be made.

Atlanta, at 44-60 entering Monday, has no shot at the playoffs in a year they were hoping would bring a potential World Series run. All it can do at this point is trade the veterans who are scheduled to hit free agency this winter and hope the return helps it down the road.

That leaves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, a three-time All-Star who has had a down year to this point, as the biggest name to watch on the Braves roster between now and Thursday.

Because he’s aging, dealing with an injury, and limited to DH duties, Ozuna probably won’t have many teams interested in him. But one baseball writer has identified a surging American League Wild Card contender as the best option.

On Sunday, Sportsnaut’s Matt Johnson predicted that Ozuna would be shipped to the Texas Rangers, who have won eight of nine games since the All-Star break to climb within a half-game of playoff position.

“We have Texas moving Adolis Garcia in our MLB trade deadline predictions, but this team can be both a buyer and a seller,” wrote Johnson. “Marcell Ozuna would fill the void in the Rangers’ lineup, with the team rolling the dice on a change of scenery helping the designated hitter turn things around. It’s a low-risk move with minimal cost, allowing Texas to remain in the Wild Card mix after flipping Garcia for prospects.”

From Atlanta’s perspective, any team having interest in Ozuna would be a win. The 34-year-old has a .743 OPS, largely due to his decreased power as a result of a hip injury, and the remainder of his $16 million salary won’t be cheap for a team to absorb.

If Texas makes the call, Atlanta should eagerly pick up.

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