Ronald Acuna Jr. Stamps His MVP Authority in Braves Win Despite Slugging Struggles

Atlanta Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. had not quite resembled the MVP monster he was back in 2023. However, tables turned on Tuesday night when Acuña gave a loud reminder of his dominance. Leading the Atlanta to a 6-5 win over the New York Mets, he put up a dazzling show of baserunning and timely hitting.

On one hand, his power stroke has not kindled yet this season. On the other, the 25-year-old terrorized the Mets on the basepaths. He swept three steals and reached base four times. Sure this offensive outburst came after a sluggish start. But though it had some fans worried initially,  he promptly changed that narrative. But the threat is not over yet. 

Ronald Acuna Jr. Is Back On Track 

While the lingering effects from his offseason knee issue do exist, he made it a night of redemption with the New York. “I haven’t gotten off to the start I’ve wanted,” Acuña acknowledged through an interpreter. He continued, “but it’s a long season, and I have a feeling things are going to start going my way.” Clearly, his performance against the Mets was a glimpse of his MVP campaign. A sparkplug at the top of the order, of sorts. Can one say confidently that he was a constant threat to steal and a massive contributor on the scoreboard? Yes. 

Acuña’s leadoff single in his third inning sparked a three-run rally which put the Braves in control. Soon after, he added a sixth-inning infield single to follow it up. With that, he capped a productive night, showcasing to the world that his improved batting average was a .256. 

Despite the numbers, there were certainly reasons for concern. After all, a slow start is a cause of one. Entering Tuesday, he was hitting a meager .222 with no home runs. But the Braves manager Brian Snitker was not ready to panic yet. He said with assurance, “There wasn’t any reason to panic. That was a really good sign because, at some point in time, he’s going to break out, too.”

Acuna’s Words Resonated With His Manager’s 

Acuña himself echoed Snitker’s sentiment. As he spoke, he emphasized that his slow start had no connection to this knee. He confidently declared that “I haven’t felt any discomfort since the first week of March”. Acuña’s breakout performance was nothing short of a welcome sight for Braves fans, even teammates.  

Read More: Amidst Ronald Acuna Jr.’s Back-To-Back MVP Hopes, Will Injuries Impact the Braves Star’s 2024 Goal?

Starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez spoke in praise of Acuña’s. He shared, “Everyone saw it. Despite the weather, he’s able to steal second and third. I think he’s just a great player.” If this performance was not a powerful statement, then what is? Acuña is healthy. His explosiveness is still sustained. His dominance which was just a matter of time, has finally come out. So all in all, there’s reason to not be anxious, Acuña asserts, “As soon as I get in that groove, I feel like I’m going to take off running.”