Marcell Ozuna clocked Will Smith in the head with his backswing on Monday. The Atlanta Braves' DH did not apologize when asked about the incident.
The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers were engaged in an emotional affair Monday night. From Freddie Freeman's first inning standing ovation to the Dodgers' impressive late-game comeback, there was much to glean from a battle between NL powerhouses.
What made headlines, however, was Marcell Ozuna's careless backswing, which resulted in a full-strength pop to the helmet for Dodgers catcher Will Smith. The two exchanged words after the incident and the bullpens cleared.
Expert lip-readers were able decipher a phrase somewhere along the lines of "that's like the fifth time you've done it" from Smith to Ozuna — a rather significant accusation.
Ozuna, offered the opportunity to apologize after the game, did no such thing.
Braves DH Marcell Ozuna refuses to take blame for accident with Will Smith
We are all the author of our own story, of course, and nobody should be shocked by Ozuna's interpretation of events. Ozuna is probably telling the truth here, at least partially: he did not intend to hit Smith. That much is likely true. Where Ozuna crosses the line into disingenuous territory, however, is when he shifts the blame onto Will Smith.
Smith is not wrong: Ozuna has hit catchers with his backswing on multiple occasions. At some point, that's on Ozuna — not the catcher. Ozuna should clean up his form and make an effort not to put more catchers in harms way. A full-speed bat to the head has the potential to cause significant injury, even with a catcher's helmet on.
Should Smith back up? Well, in his shoes, I'd probably take a couple scoots back next time Ozuna comes up to the plate. But the onus to change should be on Ozuna, not Smith. He's the one swinging the bat and initiating the contact. Smith is stationary and in a completely avoidable zone.
The Braves will face the Dodgers twice more during this home stand. We will see if the drama escalates any further in the games to come.