Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna was retroactively suspended for 20 regular season games Monday by Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred for violating the league’s domestic violence policy.
The suspension is retroactive to September 10 and covers the last 24 days of the regular season while he was on administrative leave, costing him approximately $ 1.55 million of his $ 12 million salary.
“My office has completed its investigation into allegations that Marcell Ozuna violated the Major League Baseball Joint Policy on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse. After reviewing all of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Ozuna violated our Policy and that discipline is appropriate, “Manfred said in a statement.
Ozuna, 31, was arrested May 29 after police officers in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs said they saw him attack his wife, Genesis, as officers responded to a 911 call. The original charges they included aggravated battery by strangulation, but prosecutors dropped the felony charge in July.
In September, Ozuna entered a diversion program that could result in her domestic violence case being dismissed. He faces misdemeanor charges of family battery and simple battery, but when he entered the diversion program, Fulton County Deputy District Attorney Simone Hylton announced that those charges will be dropped if he meets the conditions of the resolution within the six months.
He re-signed with Atlanta to a four-year, $ 65 million deal in February after hitting .338 with 19 home runs and 56 RBIs for the Braves during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
“Any domestic violence case is unacceptable, and we fully support the commissioner’s office decision regarding Marcell,” the Braves said in a statement. “We are encouraged to know that Marcell has accepted full responsibility for his actions and is taking the necessary steps to learn and grow from the situation.”
Ozuna did not play after May 25 and entered the disabled list on May 29 with two dislocated fingers on his left hand, losing the Braves’ run to their first World Series title since 1995.
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