ATLANTA-- Within minutes of Marcell Ozuna uncorking his savage swing, nobody was checking out where the sphere had actually ended up. Not due to the fact that the Braves assigned hitter had obtained jammed on a Gavin Stone fastball, however because the barrel of his bat had actually swivelled as well as conked Dodgers catcher Will Smith on the side of the head on his fourth-inning ensuing spoken altercation as well as near-benches-clearing conflict still had some vapor to it a day after the Dodgers knocked off the Braves, 8-6, at Truist Park on Monday evening, with the typically mild-mannered Smith expressing irritability at what Ozuna has actually conceded is a typical fad-- his hearty cut as well as extended launch with his leading hand have led to numerous catchers taking an unexpected shot. " I was just mad," Smith stated Monday evening after challenging Ozuna after the swing, as well as once again shortly before Ozuna's next at-bat in the 6th inning before home-plate umpire Alan Doorperson intervened. " He hit me in the head with his bat pretty hard. It's not the very first time he's done it to me. He's done it to various other catchers around the league. I just felt like there comes a point where I need to say something there. In the minute, it kind of got a little warmed. It's something he's refraining from doing purposefully. But if) you do it adequate times you 'd think he would certainly repair it https://www.arizonagameday.com/collections/garrett-williams-jersey. " Smith, that missed 2 weeks previously this season because of a trauma, noted it was an especially delicate subject for him considering the recency of his injury. He was back in the Dodgers schedule and behind the plate for Tuesday evening's competition. " He's absolutely truly conscious it," Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated of insisted it was a crash, and also stated Smith isn't the only catcher who has unintentionally captured a barrel, including his now-teammate Sean Murphy, previous Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, existing Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras and also Smith's teammate, Austin Barnes Barnes validated Tuesday he 'd birthed the force of an Ozuna backswing before). Prior to Monday's game was complete, footage resurfaced revealing Ozuna had actually gotten Smith before with a comparable swing on a groundout at Dodger Arena last claimed he apologized in the minute to the Dodgers backstop though Smith disputed that Monday night). Yet the 32-year-old slugger's ire originated from Smith's response, stating the catcher "showed me up before everybody below. "" He stated, 'No, you've reached repair it,'" Ozuna said. "I said, 'I've reached repair it, why? You want me to change my technicians? If you throw an inside pitch, you're trying to swipe a strike, what do you want me to do? I'm gon na turn like that. '"" He doesn't intend to do that," Braves supervisor Brian Snitker claimed. "That's the last point he wants to do is attempt to injure someone. " Ozuna suggested Smith move back further in package to protect himself, something he claimed other catchers have done in the past upon noting how much back he opts for his swing-- and also something Snitker kept in mind that Sal Fasano, Atlanta's capturing coach, has actually recommended for facing individuals like Ozuna with longer swings. " As opposed to get struck, we just relocate them back," Snitker , that like Smith sets up close to the opposing hitter to aid framework pitches for strikes, said that some opposite hitters have given him cutting-edge warning that their swing can get in a risk zone. An additional factor to consider, Barnes stated, is not simply obtaining captured by a backswing, but on the front end for catcher's interference. " It just draws," Barnes stated. "You know, it's a bat, and also you're swinging that point quite hard. Matthew Jones Jersey.. I do not believe he's doing it purposefully, yet obtaining hit in the head is never ever fun, either. " After Tuesday's game, which the Dodgers won 8-1, Smith told press reporters he and Ozuna have "passed it. " Asked if he relocated back during the game, Smith stated: "Yeah, I was way back. " Necessary reading On sagging Michael Harris II, support for Marcell Ozuna, another loss to Dodgers Picture: Brett Davis/ U. S. A. Today).