The Pirates are expected to release Marcell Ozuna on August 5, 2026 and call up Ronny Simon, giving the outfielder his latest major league opportunity after a strong Triple-A run.
The move comes at a time when Pittsburgh's lineup has been stretched thin by injuries to Oneil Cruz, Konnor Griffin and Ryan O’Hearn. That has left the Pirates looking for more flexibility in the middle of the order and at designated hitter, where Ozuna had been occupying a roster spot.
Why the Pirates are making the switch
Ozuna signed with the Pirates on a one-year, $12MM deal after they missed out on other targets, but the fit did not last long. He has hit just.203/.286/.327 in 280 plate appearances, a line that has been 31% worse than league average.
The strikeout issues have also been a problem. Ozuna has struck out at a 28.6% rate overall, and that number climbed to 36% in June, when he hit.223/.293/.363 with a 79 wRC+, which ranked fourth-worst in baseball over that stretch.
For a team already dealing with injuries, the Pirates decided they could no longer keep waiting for a turnaround. Releasing Ozuna clears the way for a different look and creates an opening for Simon, who had hit well in Triple-A but had not yet received much of a look in the majors.
What Simon brings to Pittsburgh
Simon came to the Pirates on an offseason waiver claim after last season, when he logged 88 plate appearances with Miami. In Triple-A, he put together a much more encouraging case for a call-up, producing 428 plate appearances with a.330/.419/.470 line and a 137 wRC+.
That season also included seven home runs, 33-for-40 on the bases, and a 12.4% strikeout rate. It was the kind of performance that suggested he was ready for a longer look, even if Pittsburgh had not yet found the right opening.
Now that opening is here. Simon does not need to replace Ozuna's power one-for-one to help the Pirates, but he does give them another bat with a better recent track record and a chance to rework the lineup around a battered roster.
For Pittsburgh, the move is simple: change course, create a roster spot, and see whether Simon's Triple-A production can carry over when the Pirates need it most.
