These five Atlanta Braves players don’t deserve to be on the 40-man roster.
The Atlanta Braves are hoping for some better results this year. The biggest change is the addition of Sean Murphy behind the plate. Their biggest subtraction was letting Dansby Swanson walk in free agency.
Otherwise, the roster has stayed mostly intact with some other changes along the way. If not for contractual obligations or lack of minor league options, the Braves would surely have made some other moves as well.
It’s these five members of the Braves that don’t deserve their 40-man roster spot at the moment. Protected by salary and a fear of losing them on waivers, they might get lucky and stay on it. Can any earn it, though?
1) Why Marcell Ozuna doesn’t deserve a spot on the Braves 40-man roster
Marcell Ozuna should have been designated for assignment by the Braves a while ago. The thinking out of Atlanta seems to be that if they’re going to pay him, they might as well play him.
There are two more guaranteed years on his contract at $18 million per year plus a $1 million buyout in 2025 the team cannot wait to use. Even without citing his off-the-field issues, Ozuna has become a burden on the roster. Age has caught up quickly with him. He’s not the amazing hitter he was during the shortened 2020 season when he led the league in home runs and RBI while also hitting .338.
The last two years for Ozuna have been rough with his 2022 campaign proving the struggles from a year earlier might be more of the norm. Now more of a DH than an actual outfielder, one has to wonder how long the Braves will put up with his decline.
It looks like they will at least let him start the year on the roster. He doesn’t deserve it.