The Pittsburgh Pirates are at a familiar inflection point - one that’s less about talent evaluation and more about the kind of franchise they want to be.
With Eugenio Suárez off the board, reports now link Pittsburgh to free agent Marcell Ozuna, a right-handed slugger who, on the surface, fits a clear need. The Pirates need pop.
They need a middle-of-the-order presence. They need someone who can change a game with one swing.
Ozuna checks those boxes.
But baseball isn’t played in a vacuum, and this decision - if it happens - would carry far more weight than just what happens between the lines.
Ozuna’s off-field history is well-documented. In 2021, he was arrested on charges of felony aggravated assault by strangulation and misdemeanor battery following a domestic violence incident. While the legal case didn’t result in a conviction, Major League Baseball stepped in with a 20-game suspension under its Joint Domestic Violence Policy after conducting its own investigation.
That suspension wasn’t speculative. It was a clear message from the league that Ozuna’s conduct violated its standards - and that matters.
This isn’t just a baseball move. It’s an organizational statement.
And for the Pirates, this would be yet another in a troubling string of decisions that raise serious questions about the values guiding the front office. Aroldis Chapman.
Domingo Germán. Ji Hwan Bae.
All players with off-field concerns tied to domestic violence or disciplinary issues. Each time, the Pirates have chosen to look past the baggage in hopes of getting value on the field.
That kind of pattern doesn’t go unnoticed - not by fans, not by the media, and not by the broader baseball community. It shapes perception. And for a franchise that’s spent years trying to rebuild trust with its fan base, perception is everything.
Pittsburgh doesn’t have the luxury of indifference. This is a small-market club that has to fight for attention, for credibility, for every ounce of goodwill it can muster.
The Pirates have asked fans for patience through rebuilds, budget constraints, and promises of a brighter future. Every move is scrutinized.
Every signing becomes part of a larger narrative.
So let’s be clear: if the Pirates were to sign Ozuna, it wouldn’t just be about his bat. It would be about what the organization is willing to tolerate in pursuit of wins.
It would become the headline, the talking point, the shadow cast over every other offseason move they’ve made. Even if Ozuna produces, the questions won’t go away.
And if he doesn’t? The criticism will be deafening.
This isn’t about denying second chances or ignoring the complexities of individual cases. It’s about patterns.
It’s about accountability. It’s about deciding what kind of team you want to be - and what kind of message you want to send to your fans.
There are other options. Other bats.
Other trades. Other ways to plug holes in the lineup without reopening wounds or inviting controversy.
The Pirates missed out on Suárez. That stings.
But pivoting to Ozuna isn’t a bold counterpunch - it’s a shortcut, and one that comes with more risk than reward.
This is a moment for Pittsburgh to show restraint, to take the longer view, and to prioritize culture over desperation. Because in a league where every team is fighting for wins, the ones that also fight for principles tend to build something that lasts.
The Pirates have a choice here. Not just about a player, but about their identity. And sometimes, the smartest move a team can make is the one it doesn’t.