Atlanta Braves coach believes Ronald Acuna Jr. cannot be stopped: "He's going to be the MVP this year"
Anyone who has been paying attention to the 2023 MLB season knows that Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. is on fire. The outfielder leads the league in runs and bases stolen and boasts an impressive .995 OPS.
However, nearly two years ago, Acuna Jr. suffered an injury that led some to believe that the electric young Venezuelan would never be able to play again.
In July 2021, Ronald Acuna Jr. collapsed after awkwardly fielding a routine flyball. After he was stretchered off, it was revealed that he has suffered a complete ACL tear.
Ronald Acuña Jr. has to be carted off the field after suffering an injury to his right knee or leg. https://t.co/mXrjIBAs6V
"Ronald Acuña Jr. has to be carted off the field after suffering an injury to his right knee or leg." - Bally Sports: Braves
Although he returned in early 2022, observers could sense a hesitance in Acuna's game that did not exist prior to the injury. Thus, 2022 brought a career-worst average of .266 for Acuna, and he led the league in failed steal attempts.
In a recent piece for ESPN, Alden Gonzalez revealed that Atlanta Braves first base coach Eric Young was instrumental in getting Acuna Jr. back in shape.
Young, a former player who himself once led the MLB in steals, called Ronald Acuna Jr. after the 2022 season and offered to keep tabs on his offseason regimen that was designed to regain the speed that had been hindered by the injury.
In 2023, Ronald Acuna Jr. has gone off. Some pundits believe that he will surpass the "30-50 club" of 30 or more home runs and 50 steals by stealing more than 60 bags.
Moreover, he has been brilliant defensively and ranks near the top of the list when it comes to outfielder arm strength in the MLB.
On account of his massive effort, Eric Young told ESPN:
He's going to be the MVP this year. It's a prediction. I'm confident in that prediction."
Ronald Acuna Jr. is proof of what dedication and focus can do
With the Atlanta Braves still sitting with a comfortable 5.5 games between them and the New York Mets in the NL East, they have Acuna Jr. to thank for a lot of that success.
Oftentimes, an ACL tear can be a career-ending affliction. In the case of Ronald Acuna Jr., it only motivated him to get back to being the player that he was meant to be.
Although there is still a long season ahead, if Acuna Jr. can continue to hit, run and steal as he has done before, arguably very little stands between him and MVP glory.