Braves: Marcell Ozuna doesn’t back down from Will Smith

Marcell Ozuna clocked Will Smith successful nan caput pinch his backswing connected Monday. The Atlanta Braves’ DH did not apologize erstwhile asked astir nan incident. 

The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers were engaged successful an affectional matter Monday night. From Freddie Freeman’s first inning opinionated ovation to nan Dodgers’ awesome late-game comeback, location was overmuch to glean from a conflict betwixt NL powerhouses.

What made headlines, however, was Marcell Ozuna’s sloppy backswing, which resulted successful a full-strength popular to nan helmet for Dodgers catcher Will Smith. The 2 exchanged words aft nan incident and the bullpens cleared.

Expert lip-readers were capable decipher a building location on nan lines of “that’s for illustration nan 5th clip you’ve done it” from Smith to Ozuna — a alternatively important accusation.

Ozuna, offered nan opportunity to apologize aft nan game, did nary specified thing.

Braves DH Marcell Ozuna refuses to return blasted for mishap pinch Will Smith

We are each nan writer of our ain story, of course, and cipher should beryllium shocked by Ozuna’s mentation of events. Ozuna is astir apt telling nan truth here, astatine slightest partially: he did not intend to deed Smith. That overmuch is apt true. Where Ozuna crosses nan statement into disingenuous territory, however, is erstwhile he shifts nan blasted onto Will Smith.

Smith is not wrong: Ozuna has deed catchers pinch his backswing connected aggregate occasions. At immoderate point, that’s connected Ozuna — not nan catcher. Ozuna should cleanable up his shape and make an effort not to put much catchers successful harms way. A full-speed bat to nan caput has nan imaginable to origin important injury, moreover pinch a catcher’s helmet on.

Should Smith backmost up? Well, successful his shoes, I’d astir apt return a mates scoots backmost adjacent clip Ozuna comes up to nan plate. But nan onus to alteration should beryllium connected Ozuna, not Smith. He’s nan 1 swinging nan bat and initiating nan contact. Smith is stationary and successful a wholly avoidable zone.

The Braves will look nan Dodgers doubly much during this location stand. We will spot if nan play escalates immoderate further successful nan games to come.