After dealing with a lengthy slump, Ronald Acuña Jr. is back to playing like one of the best players in baseball. To begin the season, Acuña was red hot coming back from a torn ACL, as the team was hesitant to play him every day. In his first 30 games, he slashed .319/.412/.522 with a .934 OPS, five homers and 15 RBIs. Then, the next 39 games were the exact opposite.
Over that stretch, Acuña slashed .212/.313/.289 with a .601 OPS, three homers and just nine RBIs. At some points, it looked like his knee could’ve been bothering him, even commenting on how sometimes the surgically repaired knee didn’t always feel great, thus prompting some of Braves Country to suggest moving him out of the leadoff spot, while others suggested getting rid of a superstar altogether… blasphemous.
Well, now Acuña is playing like the MVP-caliber player that he is — slashing .404/.472/.638 with a 1.110 OPS, two homers and eight RBIs in his last 13 games. It’s not just the bat either; he’s getting it done in all facets of the game, flashing the five tools that made him an overnight sensation — scoring from first, throwing guys out, and blasting leadoff homers.
Ronald Acuna has a cannon @Barstool_ATL pic.twitter.com/2Y44vIhaJ5
— Starting 9 (@Starting9) August 13, 2022
Just a ridiculous slide from Ronald Acuña here. If the Braves win, his activity on the bases all night will be one reason why. pic.twitter.com/OfNKYa0YCB
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) August 10, 2022
https://twitter.com/BravesOnBally/status/1558593180886614017?s=20&t=Tm1-NyTW4oCCcBHD1rsstg
Acuña’s re-emergence is one of the primary reasons the Braves are surging, winners of their last eight games. In his two most recent games against the Mets, he had a three double performance followed by a four-walk effort. He’s a menace on the bases, has a hose, can go yard at any moment and is just reminding everyone why he is considered one of the best players in the game.
—
Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.