Phillies manager Rob Thomson throws shade at Ronald Acuna Jr.

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MLB: JUN 20 Braves at Phillies

The Braves and the Phillies are amidst a heated series between two of the National League’s best teams.

For the Braves, they have a chance to clinch the division with a win tonight in the series finale. The Phillies, meanwhile, are trying to hold their spot atop the Wild Card standings. All three games of the series have gone down to the wire, with two of them going to extra innings, both Braves wins. It’s felt like a playoff atmosphere in Philadelphia, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if these two teams met up in the not-too-distant future with all of the chips on the line.

However, it wouldn’t be a matchup between division rivals without a little controversy. Last night, when Acuna blasted his 37th homer of the season to give the Braves a 3-1 lead, he was understandably excited, celebrating around the bases like everyone does when they clobber a 400+ foot bomb off the second deck of the bleachers. It’s part of the game today, and the game is better because of it, but don’t tell Phillies manager Rob Thomson that.

This is one of the most hypocritical statements I have ever heard from a manager. I don’t remember Rob Thomson having much of a problem with one of his own players, Rhys Hoskins, spiking his bat when he blasted a homer off of Spencer Strider in the NLDS.

The Phillies celebrate home runs and big hits as extravagantly as any other team in the majors, and frankly, I love it. The celebrations and emotions in big moments make the game better for everyone but don’t come whining when it comes back around.

This is September baseball. The Braves have the opportunity to clinch the division on the field of one of their biggest rivals who knocked them out of the postseason a year ago. Of course they are going to treat this series like it matters… because it does. Rob Thomson’s a good manager who’s done wonders for the Phillies, but this is a weak take that was better off left unsaid.

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Photo: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire

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