Injured but irreplaceable—that’s the tightrope Marcell Ozuna is walking right now, and the Atlanta Braves are walking it with him. Manager Brian Snitker and GM Alex Anthopoulos both used the same word when talking about the slugger’s ailing hip: “manage.”
And that’s exactly what the Braves are trying to do—manage their way through a long season with one of their key bats playing through pain.
A Lingering Issue That’s Not Going Away
Let’s rewind to mid-April. After a weekend series against Tampa Bay, Ozuna was quietly sent back to Atlanta for an MRI. The results were downplayed—“nothing big”—and he returned to the lineup a few days later. But here we are, 55 games played for Ozuna, and the hip issue is still very much a thing.
Snitker didn’t sugarcoat it this week: “It’s one of those things he is going to have to manage and get to the offseason.” Translation? This isn’t going away. Ozuna’s going to play through it because that’s what he wants to do, and the team’s going to do their best to keep the damage minimal.
And make no mistake, the hip is affecting him—especially at the plate.
He’s only hit six home runs in 241 plate appearances, a sharp decline from the 39 bombs he launched in 2024. There’s less torque in his swing and less explosiveness when he makes contact. That’s a hip thing.
But there’s also this: he’s still getting on base. In fact, he leads the National League with 48 walks in 55 games. That tells you pitchers are being careful—Ozuna’s reputation hasn’t eroded, even if the home runs have slowed.
Rest Days Are Coming For Ozuna
Ozuna’s role as designated hitter gives the Braves some flexibility. He’s not out there chasing fly balls or diving on turf. But still, the team plans to give him more rest days than usual throughout the summer to help him stay fresh.
The silver lining is those rest days open the door for Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin to both be in the lineup. Murphy has nine homers already, and Baldwin is hitting a scorching .321, tops among Braves regulars. That kind of production makes the “Ozuna off day” a bit easier to swallow.
Still a Force For the Braves
Ozuna’s been one of the most durable players on the roster for the past two seasons. He missed zero games in 2024 and has only sat out three in 2025. That consistency is admirable, but with the hip barking, it’s no longer sustainable.
The Braves are adapting—trying to balance long-term preservation with short-term contention. Because even a compromised Ozuna has value, he still draws walks. He still sees pitches. He’s still a middle-of-the-order presence that pitchers don’t want to mess with.
But if he’s going to be around come October—and productive—Atlanta will have to play the long game. Less “everyday slugger.” More “strategic asset.” The Braves aren’t expecting Ozuna to be Superman in 2025. They just need him healthy enough to be dangerous when it matters most.
