Baseball is one of the few sports out there that has different dimensions at every stadium. A home run at 20 Major League ballparks could still stay in the yard at 10 others. It’s a wild feature of the game that players really have to keep in mind.
Marcell Ozuna didn’t do that on Sunday, and it backfired in a big way.
With the Braves designated hitter up in the fourth inning against Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen, Ozuna thought he gave the Braves the lead on what would have been back-to-back home runs. He crushed the ball to straight away center field, but Chase Field has a notoriously deep (and tall) center-field wall. There are very few no-doubt shots to straightaway center field at that stadium.
Ozuna should’ve known that.
Marcell Ozuna stood and watched what he thought was a home run… he ended up with a single 🥶pic.twitter.com/vL0xMFN69Y
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 4, 2023
That ball was in the air for nearly seven seconds and traveled 415 feet, but Ozuna was held to a single because he stood at home plate and watched the ball travel to the wall before deciding to run.
Keep an eye on Marcell Ozuna at the plate here, as his decision to watch this batted ball resulted in a 415-foot single pic.twitter.com/jW5g97TbRF
— Casey Drottar (@CDrottar19) June 4, 2023
It would have been a home run at 23 ballparks, but when you’re an away player, it’s probably best to run out fly balls at an unfamiliar stadium.
Marcell Ozuna vs Zac Gallen#ForTheA
Single ⚾
Exit velo: 107.2 mph
Launch angle: 34 deg
Proj. distance: 415 ftThis would have been a home run in 23/30 MLB ballparks, including Truist Park
ATL (3) @ ARI (3)
🔺 4th pic.twitter.com/HEmMLmzfqP— Would it dong? (@would_it_dong) June 4, 2023
Ozuna would advance to second on a wild pitch, but he theoretically could have been at third base and in position to score. He’d get stranded at third later on, so it was a costly mistake. No wonder MLB fans did not appreciate the effort.
Update: Ozuna was benched for the blunder and replaced by Sean Murphy in the sixth inning.
Sean Murphy is pinch-hitting for Marcell Ozuna. https://t.co/v90ybXE1bQ
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) June 4, 2023
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This was how Twitter reacted
That’s why players shouldn’t just stand and watch a hit, just run!!! https://t.co/1oXlfwvotN
— Koryn Clay (@ClayKoryn) June 4, 2023
If he gets another AB today I’ll be sharing some opinions. https://t.co/nsiEL8eM8r
— Max Able (@ableM_16) June 4, 2023
Ozuna watching that hit https://t.co/FuibIyNsL0 pic.twitter.com/hcC5S3A6Q1
— RB (@rbhockey6) June 4, 2023
Can't judge the distance of a ball from the batters box or LF 🤣 https://t.co/lDLML0TxgB
— David Kleinstuber (@DKleinstuber) June 4, 2023
Pull him Snit https://t.co/zn1YlM44HU
— Dillon (@dwood_is_good) June 4, 2023
Everybody thought it was gone. This park is dumb. https://t.co/FYllrHKama
— Vic Damone Jr (@wholesomefoxx) June 4, 2023
I wouldn't play him for a week. https://t.co/JYIMPieIBS
— Pete Simonetti (@SimonettiSource) June 4, 2023
this is honestly bench worthy https://t.co/e6SkmgaUjU
— Da Braves (@BravesTalkk) June 4, 2023
Wake up babe a new embarrassing Ozuna clip just dropped #STLCards https://t.co/unPvgUDZLS
— Gateway City Sports (@SportsTalkSTL) June 4, 2023
