Marcell Ozuna APOLOGIZES after hitting Will Smith on head with bat as fans label Braves hitter as an ‘unsafe’ player
After catching Will Smith on the head with the backswing of his bat, Marcell Ozuna has now apologized for the mishap but was quick to defend his actions.
Follow Us
Marcell Ozuna (Pic Credit: Clayton News Daily)
The responsibilities of being a catcher in baseball come with huge pressure. One has to give up the fear of getting hit by the fast-swinging bat while crouching down on one knee. Injuries and close contact are common things. Recently there were scenes of verbal war of words as Atlanta Braves hitter Marcell Ozuna managed to hit the back of Dodgers’ catcher Will Smith on Monday night.
The incident occurred in the fourth inning of the game. Ozuna swung at a ball but did not get enough connection and was judged to fly out after his hit was caught. He however connected pretty well with the head of Smith. The catcher was unpleased with this outcome and tried to have a word with him.
A few words were exchanged between them. Things did not escalate any further. Ozuna later apologized for his actions. He mentioned that he has no intentions of hurting anyone. The Dodger catcher had recently returned from the concussion injured list.
Another severe blow to the head would have easily resulted in a trip to that unwanted list. Smith recalled that this was not the first occasion in which Ozuna had accidentally made contact with his head. In 2022, Ozuna caught the head of Smith with his backswing after grounding out.
Marcell Ozuna defends his actions against Will Smith and refuses to back down
One thing every sportsperson wants to avoid is being labeled as an “unsafe” player. This was not the first time Marcell Ozuna had caught someone with his bat. Many catchers of the league have expressed their concerns while taking to the field with him in the batter’s box. The Braves batter has now tried to explain the situation.
According to Justin Toscano, Ozuna unlike every other player had no intention of hitting Smith. He later revealed the discussion that took place between the two players. After being hit again, Smith told Ozuna to “clean it up“. The catcher also reminded him that this was the fifth time something like this has happened. Reacting to this Ozuna suggested the Dodger player to “back up” when he bats.
This incident has left baseball fans divided. Some are calling for a suspension to be placed on him for these repeated offenses, while others have backed him and called out Smith as “soft“.
The MLB organization has not made any statement in regards to this topic and a change in batting rules is unlikely to be introduced at this point of the season. The series between the two teams was won by the Dodgers as they took two games to one from Atlanta.
In case you missed it:
Alex Rodriguez pens down emotional note following daughter Natasha’s high school graduation
Kenley Jansen EXPOSES the dark side of MLB’s pitch clock
Stay Updated!
Vinay Dave
(1888 Articles Published)