Braves’ Marcell Ozuna Removed For Not Hustling

Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna was removed from the game for not hustling in their win over the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-5. The two-time All-Star was taken out of the game by manager Brian Snitker after Ozuna hit one deep center field, resulting in only a single in the fourth inning.

This single, however, set a distance of 415 feet, as the ball was a line drive that ended up hitting an overhang right below the home run marker. Ozuna hit a pitch from Zac Gallen that resulted in the Braves hitter, at home plate, staring at his ball reach its apex rather than running after hitting the ball.

Designated hitter Ozuna was then replaced by Sean Murphy in the sixth, as he went 0-3 in his place. This season, in 44 games, the 32-year-old is hitting .227 with 11 home runs and 23 RBIs. In his 11-year career (1,207 games) with the Miami Marlins (2013-17), St. Louis Cardinals (2018-19) and Braves, the two-time All-Star is a .267 hitter with 207 homers and 699 RBIs.

Stiker, on behalf of Ozuna, said, “I guarantee he feels worse than I do for having to take him out.”

Ozuna has some off-field baggage unrelated to this incident, as he reached a plea agreement following his 2022 arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol. On Aug. 19, 2022, he was arrested by a Norcross Police officer in metro Atlanta and booked into the Gwinnett County jail. He was charged with DUI and failure to maintain lane and was released on $1,830 bond. Ozuna entered a no-contest plea and paid a $1,000 fine, according to Norcross (Georgia) Municipal Court records.

Ozuna is under contract and is in his third year of a four-year, $65 million contract he signed before the 2021 season.