Cubs News: Team should sign Marcell Ozuna this offseason

The Cubs could go big this winter in signing slugging outfielder Marcell Ozuna.

The abbreviated 2020 regular season has come and gone. The Chicago Cubs have now arrived at what should be an eventful offseason. While the past couple of years have been on the quiet side and the core has stayed basically the same, this winter will undoubtedly bring at least a few changes.

Some key pieces – namely Jon Lester – have hit free agency already. A new era is rapidly approaching for this team and questions are piling up. Who will stay? Who will go? Will the front office be able to make an impactful trade in this climate or a low-key free agent signing? At this point, it’s anyone’s guess.

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Looking toward the free agent market is a great way for this team to ensure contention in 2021. There is no denying the Cubs need to add some oomph to their offense and with the number of free agents we’re likely to see, that avenue could be the answer.

This year’s free-agent class included both big and small names, including an an array of hot bats. With that being said, which free agents are truly worth going after and spending money on? With the looming uncertainty surrounding the team’s budget, this is a very important question to ask. There are many answers, but one player that I believe the Chicago Cubs should not sleep on is left fielder Marcell Ozuna.

Ozuna, also known as “The Big Bear,” has spent the entirety of his career thus far with three ball clubs: the Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, and, most recently, the Atlanta Braves. Ozuna has been a stable bat throughout his entire career but didn’t reach his true potential until his 2017 campaign. Building off that, he also showed his best stuff with the Braves in his MVP-worthy 2020 season, especially during the team’s postseason  run. Heading into free agency, Ozuna did himself plenty of favors with his monster showing this year.

Throughout his big league career, Ozuna has slashed .276/.335/.466. In the 2020 season, he slashed .338/.431/.636. Ozuna’s offense is superb, especially now, and he could take on the left-field if the rumors are in fact true and Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber ends up being traded this offseason. In regards to his defense, the 29-year-old has played quite well. In fact, during his tenure with the Marlins, Ozuna actually won a Gold Glove.

In my eyes, Ozuna seems like a superb addition that would theoretically put the Chicago Cubs on the road to a nearby World Series win. If the team’s budget allows, Ozuna would bolster the club from all angles if he is targeted by the North Siders this offseason.