The Atlanta Braves are having a tough time competing after 2023 National League Most Valuable Player Ronald Acuña Jr. suffered a season-ending ACL tear on his left knee. They have lost four consecutive games and are ten games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League East lead.
Despite those struggles, designated hitter Marcell Ozuna has been a bright spot for the organization. As of June 11, he is the only player among the top five leaders in batting average, home runs, and RBIs. His .316 batting average has him tied for fourth place with Juan Soto.
Meanwhile, he is tied with Jose Ramirez for fourth place in the home run count. Ozuna’s 18 home runs are seven away from leader Aaron Judge. His 55 RBIs put him in third place behind Judge and Ramirez (tied at 62).
Marcell Ozuna goes 442 feet for his 18th home run of the season! pic.twitter.com/2Q5W2NjYgT
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 7, 2024
In their latest game, Ozuna had two hits in three at-bats against the Baltimore Orioles. He has 12 hits, two home runs, and six RBIs in their first nine games in June.
The Braves are still in the thick of the NL Wild Card race. However, Ozuna needs more support from his teammates as he’s the only one with a batting average over .300. Even if Acuña isn’t playing anymore, he still ranks third in batting average (.250). Only Ozuna and Ozzie Albies have better averages than him.
-Lance Fernandez