Atlanta Braves OF/DH Marcell Ozuna was once considered to be one of the best power hitters in baseball. Ozuna has struggled so far in 2023 though, and recently broke his silence on his difficult campaign up to this point, per Hector Gomez and Carlos Baerga.

“I'm working hard to get out of the slump I am in,” Ozuna said. “I know this is not going to be forever, I hope to get out as soon as possible and be able to help the Braves go to the World Series and win it, which It's the most important goal for me.”

Ozuna led the league in home runs during the shortened 2020 season. He previously clubbed 29 home runs in 2019 and 37 home runs in 2017. Ozuna is a two-time All-Star as well, but dealt with off the field concerns in 2021. As a result, he appeared in only 48 games that season. He's continued to deal with off-field issues though, and hasn't returned to his All-Star form on the field.

Through 17 games in 2023 with the Braves, Ozuna is slashing a rather unsightly .073/.190/.390 with a .390 OPS and two home runs. Fortunately for Atlanta, their lineup features enough depth to perform well amid his struggles at the plate. But the Braves might be forced to make a difficult decision on Ozuna if he continues to perform at such a poor level.

Ozuna believes he can break out of the slump at some point. Atlanta would love for him to find his footing and become a key contributor once again.