3 Free Agents the Braves Can Sign to Replace Marcell Ozuna

The Atlanta Braves were one of the best teams in the MLB in 2020 and made it all the way to Game 7 in the NLCS before they were defeated by the Los Angeles Dodgers. They head into the offseason with a lot of important decisions to make, which includes the situation surrounding outfielder Marcell Ozuna.

Ozuna was a vital part of the Braves' lineup last season hitting .338 with 18 home runs, but now heads into free agency this offseason. He will likely receive a lot of interest from teams across the league. With that in mind, here are three free agents the Braves could sign to replace Marcell Ozuna.

1. Michael Brantley

Michael Brantley is now 33 years old and will likely look to sign with a team ready to compete for a championship right away. The Braves certainly fit the bill and they should have some interest in signing the veteran outfielder. In fact, Atlanta was rumored to have a lot of interest in Brantley 2 years ago before he eventually signed with the Houston Astros. Brantley has been solid at the plate throughout his career and hit .300/.364/.476 just last season. His above-average fielding abilities would allow him to be an everyday player for the Braves and a mainstay in their lineup. Brantley is one of the most well-rounded players in the league and that could be the exact type of free agent the Braves are looking for.

2. Joc Pederson

Joc Pederson is a free agent that is very similar to Ozuna in that he has a lot of power at the plate, but doesn't hit for a high batting average and is subpar at fielding. However, it is possible the DH position stays in the NL and that would be a perfect spot for Pederson in the Braves' lineup. Plus, the Braves have enough outfield depth to have Pederson be part of a platoon if necessary. Pederson has always been able to hit the long ball as he has hit 25-plus home runs in four different seasons. Although he hit just .190 in the past regular season, he played out of his mind in the playoffs with a .382 average and 8 RBIs as he helped the Dodgers win the World Series. Signing Pederson would be a great alternative if the Braves cannot re-sign Ozuna.

3. George Springer

If the Braves really wanted to make a big move and show the league that they are not messing around, they would go out and sign George Springer. As one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason, Springer is a 3-time All-Star and a former World Series MVP that could bring a whole new dimension to this Braves lineup. Springer is the full package as he can hit for average as well as power and is an above-average fielder. Springer has hit at least 22 home runs in each of the past four full MLB seasons and has a career .270 batting average. He could easily slide into the everyday center fielder role on this team and be a great leadoff hitter. This won't be easy as Springer will garner a lot of attention across the league and likely cost a lot of money. However, signing him would arguably be an even better move than re-signing Ozuna.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.