NORTH PORT, Fla. — More than nine months after Marcell Ozuna was arrested on domestic violence charges for allegedly attacking his wife, the outfielder rejoined the Braves for the first time and worked out with the team Monday on the opening day of spring training.
He said he apologized to his teammates and offered an apology to fans.
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“I talked to my team and said, I’m sorry, I made a mistake,” said Ozuna, who has thought about the reaction he might get from some baseball fans. “I’m worried a little bit. But at the same time, I have to change my (mindset) and say, I’m sorry. …
“My fans, I’m going to give you the best and I’m going to be a better person. And I’m sorry.”
Ozuna had just gone on the injured list for broken fingers — he did that while sliding at third base — before he was arrested May 29 in Sandy Springs, Ga., on charges that included aggravated assault by strangulation, a felony. That charge was dropped in July, and Ozuna faced two misdemeanor charges of family violence battery and simple assault.
He spent the rest of the season and playoffs on the 60-day IL followed by administrative leave while MLB investigated the incident. Ozuna entered a pretrial diversion program in September that could result in the dismissal of domestic violence charges, provided he adhered to conditions of the negotiated settlement and completed program requirements.
Ozuna said Monday he completed all requirements of the program. He has a status hearing April 28 to update the court on where things stand.
He was asked what he had learned from the incident and from counseling in the diversion program.
“I learned everything, like how you treat a person, how you be a better person, how you be the best daddy,” Ozuna said. “You learn everything from that.”
Asked if the incident had affected his three young children, Ozuna said, “It was hard for my kids. They were worried because we weren’t in the same place. But now we are in the same place and we’re going to keep going and be good.”
He said that he and his wife, Genesis, are living together again with their children, unlike last May when the couple was living separately and she had the kids.
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In November, MLB suspended him retroactively for 20 games under its domestic violence policy, which allowed Ozuna to be eligible for the start of the 2022 season. The Braves owe him $53 million for the final three years of a four-year, $65 million contract he got in February 2021.
After spending the offseason playing winter ball in his native Dominican Republic, Ozuna is noticeably slimmer than last spring. He hit just .213 with seven homers and a .645 OPS in 48 games before going on the IL, after hitting .338 during the shortened 2020 season and leading the National League in home runs (18) and RBIs (56) while playing on a one-year contract with the Braves.
If Ozuna can get back to something close to that level of production, he could be a major addition to a Braves team that won the World Series last year despite his early exit and a season-ending knee injury to superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. just before the All-Star break.
(Photo: Steve Helber / Associated Press)
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