1 of 5 | Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna hit just .203 over 70 appearances this season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates released designated hitter Marcell Ozuna after a career-worst offensive slump, a league source told UPI on Wednesday.
In a separate transaction, Pirates will promote utility man Ronny Simon, a switch hitter, from the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. Simon, 26, hit .330 with seven home runs, 26 doubles, two triples, 63 RBIs and 33 stolen bases through 99 games this season for the Indians.
Ozuna, who signed a one-year, $12 million contract in February, hit just .203 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs over 70 appearances for the Pirates. He hit .276 from 2017 through 2024, when he was named a National League All-Star for the third time.
The 35-year-old slugger, who also played for the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, hit .267, with 304 home runs through the first 14 seasons of his MLB career.
