Atlanta Braves Marcell Ozuna arrested early Friday morning, charged with DUI
Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence. According to a report by CBS 46, the outfielder/designated hitter was charged with DUI and failure to maintain lane. He was arrested in the early hours of Friday morning in Gwinnett County, Georgia, and booked into the county jail at 4:39 a.m.
Ozuna last played for the Braves on August 14 against the Miami Marlins. He is having a promising season with the Braves, contributing 20 home runs and 46 RBIs. Now in his 10th year in the league, Ozuna seems to have found a great fit for his talents in Altanta.
BREAKING: Atlanta #Braves player Marcell Ozuna has been arrested for DUI. >> bit.ly/3pwClcC https://t.co/iqDejlnPoP
"BREAKING: Atlanta #Braves player Marcell Ozuna has been arrested for DUI" - CBS46
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Ozuna has had off-field issues in Atlanta. Ozuna was arrested in May 2021 for domestic battery and aggravated assault. There was apparently video footage of him grabbing his wife by the neck on that occasion.
Marcell Ozuna was signed to a 4-year, $65 million contract with the Braves in 2021
The Atlanta Braves must be disappointed with Ozuna's off-field behavior. The team recently committed to a long-term deal with him. The 31-year-old native of Santo Domingo signed a massive four-year, $65 million contract with the Braves in February 2021.
It is unclear whether Ozuna will face suspension by the league at this point.
The MLB does not have a specific policy in place for DUI. Miguel Cabrera is an example of a high-profile player who was also arrested for a similar charge and did not face suspension.
While you were sleeping, Marcell Ozuna was in jail again https://t.co/gACp7BkoUu
"While you were sleeping, Marcell Ozuna was in jail again" - Big T
During the trade deadline, there were reports that the Braves were looking to move Ozuna. That trade never materialized, but it may be something the Braves will consider in the future after a series of poor decisions by the player.
For Ozuna, hopefully this is an incident he can grow from. This should be a learning experience for him, as he still has a promising future in baseball.