The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to strengthen their roster by reaching a one-year agreement with slugger Marcell Ozuna.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports that insiders indicate the Pittsburgh Pirates have finalized a one-year, $12 million contract with slugger Marcell Ozuna, subject to passing a physical. Feinsand also notes that the team has yet to officially confirm the deal, which includes a $16 million mutual option for 2027 and a $1.5 million buyout.

The Pirates have been very active this offseason, first acquiring infielder Brandon Lowe in a three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, then signing veterans Ryan O'Hearn and Gregory Soto. Reports also indicate they have reached a one-year deal with pitcher José Urquidy.

Approaching his age-35 season, Ozuna experienced a decline in 2025 after posting over 100 RBIs and an OPS above .900 in each of the previous two seasons. Compared to his stellar 2024 stats of a .302/.378/.546 slash line, 39 home runs, and finishing fourth in the National League MVP voting, the designated hitter ended 2025 with a .232 batting average, 21 homers, 68 RBIs, and a .756 OPS. This downturn is at least partly attributed to a right hip issue that intermittently troubled him during the first half of the season, likely causing his hard-hit rate to drop from 53.4% in 2024 to 44.6% in 2025.

Nonetheless, even without replicating his previous powerful numbers, Ozuna remains a hitter above the league average. His final OPS+ was 113, largely due to an elite 15.9% walk rate, which also helped him maintain a .355 on-base percentage.

Despite a relatively down year in 2025, Ozuna still averaged 33 home runs and over 90 RBIs per season across the past three years.

After receiving a qualifying offer from the St. Louis Cardinals following the 2019 season, Ozuna was no longer eligible for another qualifying offer in 2025. This means signing him does not require draft pick compensation nor does it carry any signing penalties.