The Pittsburgh Pirates released struggling veteran designated hitter Marcell Ozuna on Wednesday as they gear up for a playoff push. The club made the move following a nightmarish stretch in which the three-time All-Star could never seem to get on track.
Pirates’ Playoff Push
The Pirates, who entered Wednesday 3 1/2 games behind Arizona for the National League’s third wild-card spot, promoted outfielder Ronny Simon from Triple-A Indianapolis to take Ozuna’s roster spot. Pittsburgh signed Ozuna to a one-year deal worth $12 million in February, a rare free agency splurge for the budget-conscious Pirates.
Ozuna hit just .203 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs in 70 games with Pittsburgh and had seen his playing opportunities cut significantly in recent weeks thanks to the emergence of rookie Esmerlyn Valdez.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.