Cherington believes Ozuna struggles just a slow start

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – With all of the applause and excitement of the Pirates home opening weekend, there have been boos directed at one person. Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.

Four times as many strikeouts (eight) than hits (two) in 31 official at bats.

Identified as a missing piece after the offseason moves for Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, Ozuna was a relatively late add, just as spring training began.

Two years ago, the designated hitter was getting serious MVP consideration with a .302 average, .924 OPS, 39 home runs, 104 RBI. And that was a year ago he hit 40 home runs with 100 RBI, both seasons with Atlanta.

Through 10 games, Ozuna has a pair of singles with the Pirates after a $12 million contract for this season.

What does Ben Cherington believe needs to change or what gets him going?

"I think just time, really,” Cherington said Tuesday. “We need more runway, we need more time. Obviously the outcomes haven't been there. If you look at it in terms of swing decisions, is he swinging at strikes, not balls, for the most part? Those have consistent with the past.”

“It looks like he's seeing pitches, seeing the strike zone still. The raw bat speed is there and consistent with where it's been in the past. He's had rough starts before.”

Here is Ozuna in the first full month of the season over the last decade

• April 2025, .300, three doubles, five home runs, 10 RBI.
• April 2024, .355, six doubles, eight home runs, 28 RBI
• April 2023, .091, one double, two home runs, two RBI
• April 2022, .256, five doubles, four home runs, 10 RBI
• April 2021, .202, two doubles, three home runs, 15 RBI
• 2020—COVID
• April 2019, .253, four doubles, 10 home runs, 28 RBI
• April 2018, .270, three doubles, two home runs, 17 RBI
• April 2017, .295, three doubles, six home runs, 21 RBI
• April 2016, .229, two doubles, three home runs, 10 RBI

“I think there's nothing that we're seeing that gives us concern that he's not going to come out of this,” Cherington said. “I think we just have to give him more time."

The amount of time changes for every player, but someone with a track record, Cherington said you give it time.

"We'd be cutting our nose off to spite our face by not giving -- whether it's him or anybody else -- the time to be the player they are,” Cherington said. “You just end up hurting yourself more. I think as you build your roster, yes, of course we feel there's urgency or we're focused on doing everything we can to win every game.

“Part of doing that over 162 is getting contributions from all of these guys. We've got to give them time to get to that."