Atlanta Braves TV broadcaster Chip Caray is in hot water this week after his description of Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna’s playing situation. Caray said Ozuna was out of the lineup due to “injury limbo.”
Ozuna is technically out of the lineup for six weeks because of broken fingers. Healthy or not, he wouldn’t be with the team because of an MLB investigation into him under the league/MLBPA joint domestic violence policy following a Saturday arrest in Sandy Springs, Ga., on charges of aggravated assault strangulation and misdemeanor battery – family violence against his wife. Authorities released Ozuna on a $20,000 bond Monday evening.
Ozuna had just signed a four-year, $65 million deal with the Braves as a free agent in February after he was a top-three hitter in MLB last season with a .338/.431/.636 slash line.
“[Abraham Almonte] in their left-field spot now that Marcell Ozuna is in injury limbo,” Caray said in the sixth inning of the Braves 5-3 victory over the Washington Nationals.
The allegations against Ozuna weren’t brought up in that short clip, so we don’t know if Caray acknowledged the situation, but the Braves aren’t taking it lightly. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal theorized the team could try to void Ozuna’s contract because of the incident.
Fans and media members alike criticized Caray for how he handled the description of Ozuna’s situation. The grandson of legendary broadcaster Harry Caray has been the play-by-play voice of the Braves on TV since 2010. He previously held the job alongside lead play-by-play duties for TBS national broadcast but was relieved of that role in 2012.
Caray has not made a statement about his choice of words surrounding the Ozuna situation. The Braves continue their seven-game homestand against the Nationals at 7:20 p.m. ET with Caray on the call for Bally Sports.