Despite a strong season to this point, Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna continues to battle a physical issue. You can name on one hand the number of baseball players who trudge through a 162-game slog without sustaining any injury. The nature of the game, though, prohibits a clean bill of health.
Regardless of what position you play in Major League Baseball, a pain, twinge, or discomfort follows you. However, the degree of pain and how an injury hampers a player’s ability to perform can dictate a possible visit to the Injured List. One slugger, though, has chosen to ignore the discomfort. As a result, he’s enjoying a brilliant first half of the MLB season.
Marcell Ozuna Ignores Hip Troubles, Leads Braves’ Offense
A player can miss a key component to his hitting, affecting his swing at the plate. It’s also something that can affect the player’s season. Ozuna, 34, has been dealing with a nagging hip problem. Still, he has found a way to ignite Atlanta’s offense. In an interview with The Athletic’s David O’Brien, Ozuna talked about what he is enduring.
“I’ve been kind of slow because I don’t want to rotate, because my hip is kind of shut down a little bit,” Ozuna said. “I had a tear (in the) right hip, so I just … keep battling. I’m trying to help my team. That’s the most important thing.
“I want to be in the lineup every single day and do everything for my team,” he continued. “We started 0-7 and then came back and (went) over .500 and then kind of lost (it) and go back and forth. We didn’t score early like we used to.”
With a team filled with athletic outfield options, Ozuna can focus on hitting the ball with authority. As the Braves’ designated hitter, Ozuna looks to get on base and drive in runs. Known as a free swinger throughout most of his 13 seasons in baseball, Ozuna has taken a different approach during the 2025 season.
Instead of chasing breaking balls in the dirt or four-seamers up and far away, Ozuna now watches these pitches go by. He leads the MLB with 48 walks. By doing this and other things, he’s helping the Braves slowly begin to pull themselves out of their sluggish start.
From a batting standpoint, most of a hitter’s power starts in the hips. In fact, after the toes land, the hips must fire, bringing the hands, torso, and bat head behind them. Ozuna probably cannot drive the ball like he’s accustomed to.
Speaking with The Athletic, it’s pretty clear Ozuna does not want to sit around. For as long as he can tough out the pain, the Braves will continue to depend on him.