'Big Bear' on the prowl. Braves' Marcell Ozuna heading for another big year

ATLANTA (AP) — Marcell Ozuna shrugged off the chants of “MVP! MVP! MVP!”

The Atlanta Braves slugger knows, better than most, how fleeting the good times can be.

“You have to be at the same level," Ozuna said, “so you don't get comfortable.”

Only a year ago, his career was hanging by a thread. The same fans who cheer him now were booing lustily every time he stepped to the plate. It seemed just a matter of time before he was sent packing by the Braves.

But the team stuck with him, and Ozuna is again one of baseball's most feared hitters. He went deep twice Wednesday night, leading Atlanta to a 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox and passing Shohei Ohtani for the MLB's home run lead with 12.

The burly DH nicknamed "Big Bear” also awoke Thursday leading the big leagues with 38 RBIs — five more than anyone else — and ranked second to Ohtani in both slugging percentage (.646) and OPS (1.042). For good measure, he was among top 20 in hitting with a .315 average.

“I've got so much respect for that man,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “The baseball gods have a way of rewarding people like that.”

To appreciate how far the 33-year-old Ozuna has come, it's imperative to look at where he was after the first month of the 2023 season.

He was hitting .085 with two RBIs, which had the pundits howling for the Braves to eat the remainder of the four-year, $65 contract he signed before the ‘21 campaign. Ozuna also was hounded by off-the-field issues — arrests for domestic violence and drunken driving roughly 15 months apart — that provided further cause for the team to move on.

But Snitker was impressed by Ozuna's demeanor around his teammates, even when things looked so bleak.

He remained one of the most popular, upbeat figures in the clubhouse, supporting those around him and keeping everyone smiling with his endless antics. The work ethic never wavered, either. Ozuna just kept plugging away, confident in his routine and optimistic that his numbers would eventually improve.

“A lot of people a year ago were saying it’s time to get rid of that guy,” Snitker said. “I remembered him for who he is. I remembered who the real Marcell Ozuna is.”

Ozuna apologized for his mistakes, served a 20-game suspension and completed a diversion program that resulted in the domestic violence charges being dropped.

On the field, he never lost faith in his abilities — even at his lowest.

He remembered the advice that Juan Pierre doled out when Ozuna first arrived in the big leagues with the Miami Marlins in 2013.

“I was hitting real good," Ozuna said. “But he says, ‘One of these days, (you'll go) 0 for 4 and then you will see, Papi. Nobody will see you.'”

He's sure hard to miss these days.

The Braves' faith in Ozuna was rewarded with a stunning turnaround that began roughly a year ago, after the calendar flipped from April to May. He posted 40 homers and 100 RBIs last season, becoming a vital cog in a fearsome Atlanta lineup that tied the major league record for homers in a season (307).

Ozuna is on pace for even loftier numbers this season and emerging as Ohtani's most prominent challenger in the NL MVP race. The cumulative numbers since the start of the previous May are downright staggering: 50 homers, 136 RBIs and a .301 average.

Chris Sale, who went six scoreless innings in Atlanta's latest win, loves watching Ozuna at the plate. But the pitcher is just as impressed by what he sees when no one is around.

“He’s got like a magnetic field around him,” said Sale, who is in his first season with the Braves. “You just wanna be around him. He’s a fun guy to play with. He keeps the energy up in the clubhouse, in the dugout, on the bus, on the plane.”

Sale has been through plenty of ups and downs in his career. That makes him even more appreciative of the way Ozuna dealt with all that adversity.

“He went through some struggles,” Sale said. “For him to be able to put all that aside and grind it out, be where he finished last year and then pick up right where he left off, that says a lot about him, who he is as a person, as much as it says who he is as a baseball player."

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (20) celebrates with Matt Olson (28) after hitting a three-run hom run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (20) follows through on a home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Atlanta Braves' Marcell Ozuna (20) is congratulated for a three-run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Atlanta Braves' Marcell Ozuna (20) reacts after hitting a three-run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (20) follows through on a home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Atlanta Braves' Marcell Ozuna (20) hits a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Atlanta Braves' Marcell Ozuna celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

MIAMI (AP) — Harrison Bader and Tyrone Taylor each drove in two runs in a four-run first inning, star closer Edwin Díaz was not used in a save situation and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Sunday for just their second win in seven games.

Brandon Nimmo homered and Francisco Lindor singled twice following a 1-for-27 skid as the Mets rebounded from blowing a four-run, ninth-inning lead on Saturday and avoided a three-game sweep. New York stopped Miami’s four-game winning streak.

“You’re not defined by what you do the day before. You’re defined by how you get up from adversity,” Lindor said. “We wanted this one for sure. I think it’s important to win after a tough loss like that.”

Sean Manaea (3-1) allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. Sean Reid-Foley and Jake Diekman pitched an inning each, and Reed Garrett got his second save by allowing one hit over two innings with four strikeouts in a 34-pitch outing.

Díaz has a 10.80 ERA over his last eight appearances after serving up four homers in 8 1/3 innings. He has blown three of his last four save chances.

“We all believe in him. We all know he’s going to be back,” Garrett said. “Whenever my name’s called, I’ll pitch, but I know as a collective unit we all believe in Edwin and we know what he can do.”

New York (21-25) had dropped five games under .500 on Saturday for the first time since an 0-5 start.

“Not an easy weekend, not the way we expected, but we just have to continue to move forward,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Today was a huge win for us.”

With New York ahead 4-3, Nimmo hit a two-run homer off Anthony Bender in a three-run ninth that included Brett Baty’s RBI single.

“I was just looking for a good pitch in the middle of the plate to drive,” Nimmo said. “I was able to hit that ball — good launch angle — and hit it hard. Found its way out of the ballpark.”

Nimmo returned to the lineup Saturday after missing two games because of a stomach illness.

“I’m coming around,” Nimmo said. “It’s been a little bit of a journey the last three days to get over the sickness. Right now, I’m just trying to get some appetite back. I’m definitely not at 100%. Just trying to battle through it and glad that I was able to help out there at the end and solidify the win.”

Dane Myers hit a two-run homer in the second, and Christian Bethancourt had a solo drive in the seventh against DIekman.

Sixto Sánchez (0-2) allowed four runs and six hits in four innings. He gave up Taylor’s two-out double in the first and Bader’s single.

“He was obviously better second through the fourth inning but he put us in a hole early,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “At this level it’s hard to come back from four runs every single time. He’s not giving his teammates a chance to win.”

Miami recalled right-handed reliever Emmanuel Ramirez from Jacksonville and optioned right-handed reliever Anthony Maldonado to the Triple-A farm team.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: DH J.D. Martinez (flu symptoms) didn’t play but was available to pinch hit. Mendoza said Martinez played through the illness the prior two days.

Marlins: INF Tim Anderson (lower back tightness) homered and had three singles in five at-bats during a rehab game with Jacksonville on Saturday, then went 0 for 4 with a walk on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Tylor Megill (0-1, 2.25) will start the opener of a three-game series at Cleveland on Monday. RHP Ben Lively (2-2, 3.06) will start for the Guardians.

Marlins: LHP Ryan Weathers (2-4, 3.81) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game home series against Milwaukee on Monday. The Brewers will go with RHP Joe Ross (2-4, 4.61).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets' Sean Manaea delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) and Francisco Lindor (12) congratulate each other after they scored on a double by Tyrone Taylor, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader is unable to catch a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell for a double, during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Miami Marlins third base Emmanuel Rivera, right, tags out New York Mets' Harrison Bader as he slides into third base during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader (44) catches a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell as both he and left fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) vie for the ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets relief pitcher Reed Garrett, right, and catcher Omar Narvaez celebrate after the Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3, during a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)