Marcell Ozuna was not able to finish Sunday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks after Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker decided to bench him due to a lack of hustle. Ozuna made strong contact on a Zach Gallen pitch in the fourth inning but did not run immediately, resulting in his 415-footer earning him just a single.
“I guarantee he feels worse than I do for having to take him out,” Snitker said after the game about his decision to remove Marcell Ozuna from the game, per ESPN.
With Marcell Ozuna out of the contest, the Braves let catcher Sean Murphy pinch-hit for the designated hitter. Murphy, however, went just 0-for-3. Nevertheless, the Braves still managed to score an 8-5 win over the Diamondbacks in the series finale. Atlanta won the series, two games to one.
It remains to be seen whether the Braves will continue to bench Ozuna beyond the Arizona game. The Braves will take a rest on Monday before getting back to action on Tuesday with the start of a three-game series at home against the New York Mets.
On the season, Ozuna is batting .227/.312/.468 with 11 home runs and 23 RBI. The 32-year-old Dominican has had issues on and off the field, as he was previously arrested in 2022 for driving under the influence of alcohol before a plea agreement that required him to pay $1,000 in fines.
Marcell Ozuna, who inked a four-year deal with the Braves worth $65 million back in 2021, was also arrested in that same year for aggravated assault and misdemeanor battery charges.
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