Braves: Legal update on outfielder Marcell Ozuna

Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna will not be charged for felony aggravated assault.

Injured Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna will no longer be charged with felony aggravated assault, stemming from his May arrest during a domestic dispute.

The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office will not proceed with a felony charge of aggravated assault strangulation on the Braves outfielder. Instead, the prosecution will proceed with two misdemeanor charges: Family battery violence and simple assault. These two charges carry sentences of up to one year in jail.

The reigning NL home run and RBI champion has not played since breaking two of his fingers sliding into third base during a road game vs. the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in May.

Though Ozuna is no longer facing felony charges, he does not appear to be part of the Braves’ plans for at least the rest of the season.

Atlanta Braves OF Marcell Ozuna has had his felony assault charges dropped

Even if Ozuna was healthy enough to return to the Atlanta lineup, the Braves front office has made a flurry of trades to reshape its depleted outfield. General manager Alex Anthopoulos added Joc Pederson over from the Chicago Cubs shortly after the All-Star break. He then dealt for Adam Duvall, Eddie Rosario and Jorge Soler in the final hours leading up to the July 30 trade deadline.

While Ozuna is not excepted to play for the Braves the rest of the season, he is only in his first year of a four-year deal he signed with Atlanta back in February. Though he is an All-Star-level player when he is out on the diamond, Ozuna has become persona non grata in Braves Country after his domestic violence dispute in Sandy Springs. The fallout from all this is still far from over.

Ozuna may be able to avoid a felony, but he is still in a world of legal trouble with Fulton County.