Report: D-backs have showed interest in FA OF Marcell Ozuna

The Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly shown some interest in one of the biggest free agent bats this offseason, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.

Free agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna has five teams that are pursuing him, and per Morosi, one of them is the D-backs.

Ozuna, 29, has been a member of the St. Louis Cardinals the last two seasons. After making the All-Star team back-to-back years in Miami for the Marlins, Ozuna saw some slight regression in St. Louis. Last season, he hit .241 with 29 home runs, 89 RBIs and an OPS of .800. Ozuna hit 37 homers with 124 RBIs and had a .924 OPS in 2017, a year in which he also won a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award.

As a corner outfielder, Ozuna would be an ideal target. The D-backs had to fill right field on the fly after Steven Souza Jr. was ruled out for all of 2019 after injuring his knee in spring training.

Luckily, Adam Jones was up for the task after being signed in mid-March, hitting .260 in 137 games. He started 117 of those in right and is also a free agent this offseason.

While franchise center fielder Ketel Marte is wrapped up on a significant long-term deal that can extend all the way to 2024, the D-backs don’t have much long-term money tied down beyond him. That’s good for taking on a potential Ozuna contract, which Morosi reports could be for five years.

Key players like left fielder David Peralta, starting pitcher Robbie Ray and shortstop Nick Ahmed are set to hit free agency in 2021, meaning the D-backs still have some things to figure out in terms of who they want to spend on to keep around.

Next season will be the team’s last year paying outfielder Yasmany Tomas, who is slated to make $17 million in the final year of his six-year, $68.5 million contract. Part of Zack Greinke’s deal is still on the books for a little over $10 million in 2020 and 2021 after the D-backs dealt him to the Houston Astros at the trade deadline.

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