The Pittsburgh Pirates just made a massive move, cutting veteran designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, per ESPN. This isn’t just some roster shuffle; we’re talking about a guy who’s been a two-time Silver Slugger and a three-time All-Star, but his bat just wasn’t delivering this season.
Ozuna’s Struggling Bat Forces Pittsburgh’s Hand
It sounds harsh, but Ozuna’s numbers were rough: only eight home runs and 29 RBIs through 70 games. His slash line was a brutal .203/.286/.327. He signed a one-year, $12 million deal back in February, and honestly, seeing those stats, it’s clear why the Pirates had to make a tough call. They’re 57-58 and sitting 3.5 games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks for that third National League wild-card spot. Every at-bat counts when you’re in the hunt, and a .203 hitter just can’t be an everyday guy for a team with those aspirations. This move screams desperation to spark something, anything, for their season.
Dodgers’ Catcher Catastrophe And Deadline Scrambles
Over in the NL West, the Dodgers are in full-blown catcher crisis mode, and it’s not pretty. Dalton Rushing, who stepped up big time after regular starter Will Smith went down in early June with an inflamed disk in his neck, is now on the IL with a UCL tear in his throwing arm. Manager Dave Roberts spilled the beans Tuesday postgame, per ESPN, explaining Rushing won’t throw for weeks to see if surgery can be avoided. This is huge! Rushing had been productive, batting .253/.335/.475, even if his power dipped slightly from a hot start, slugging .439 as the everyday option. With Smith needing up to a month just for prep before he can even think about returning, Los Angeles had no choice but to raid the market at the trade deadline. They brought back Ben Rortvedt and snagged Hunter Feduccia from the Rays, who themselves had just picked up Liam Hicks from the Marlins. Rortvedt just made his 2026 big-league debut, bringing a career .547 OPS, while Feduccia hit .234/.306/.340 in 60 games for Tampa Bay. Talk about needing guys to step up!
Guardians Call Up Top Prospect Angel Genao
But it’s not all bad news and injuries. The Cleveland Guardians just made a move that could ignite their lineup, promoting infielder Angel Genao to the big leagues, according to The Athletic. This kid is no joke: he’s the team’s No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline ranks him No. 39 overall in the entire sport. Genao, 22, has been tearing it up across Double-A and Triple-A this season, racking up 13 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases with a fantastic .300/.401/.474 slash line over 96 combined games. While he’s primarily a shortstop, he’s got versatility, with 58 starts at third and 43 at second. The Guardians are sitting pretty at 57-57, holding the third American League wild-card spot and only three games behind the Chicago White Sox for first in the AL Central. Bringing in a talent like Genao could be just the shot in the arm they need to make some noise. This young infielder’s big-league debut is definitely one to watch.
From veteran releases shaking up the NL picture to prospect promotions and urgent injury replacements, the MLB season is absolutely wild right now. These teams just made their big deadline adjustments; now, the real test begins as they push for every single win in the race to October.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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