Pittsburgh Pirates Release Marcell Ozuna Amid Struggles

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced the release of veteran designated hitter Marcell Ozuna on Wednesday as they aim for a playoff spot.

This decision came after Ozuna struggled significantly, failing to regain his form throughout the season. The Pirates, currently 3.5 games behind Arizona for the National League's third wild-card position, have promoted outfielder Ronny Simon from triple-A Indianapolis to fill Ozuna's spot on the roster.

Ozuna, who signed a one-year, $12 million contract in February, recorded a batting average of .203 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs over 70 games. His playing time had diminished recently due to the rise of rookie Esmerlyn Valdez. The team also activated left-handed reliever Evan Sisk from the injured list and sent reliever Wilber Dotel to triple-A Indianapolis on the same day.