Pirates bet on Ozuna with short-term DH upgrade

The Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract with Marcell Ozuna (pending a physical), adding a right-handed bat to bolster the lineup. Ozuna will earn $10.5 million in 2026 with a $1.5 million buyout on a $16 million mutual option for 2027. The 35-year-old had a down 2025 season (.232/.355/.400, 21 HR) hampered by a hip injury and declining bat speed, but Pittsburgh hopes he can produce as a designated hitter. The move pushes payroll to about $105 million, reshapes the lineup with Ozuna, O’Hearn, Lowe and Horwitz, and effectively ends Andrew McCutchen’s Pirates tenure while boosting odds for a wild-card push.