Atlanta Braves fans impressed by Ronald Acuna Jr.’s hot start to 2023 season: "Dude is balling" "MVP type of numbers"
If the first two weeks of the season are any indication, Ronald Acuna Jr. is fully back. Acuna, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on July 10, 2021, is showing little to no rust early in 2023.
The superstar is slashing .370/.452/.537 in 54 at-bats, smacking two home runs with three doubles and nine RBIs to go with a National League-leading six stolen bases.
Ronald Acuña Jr. is hitting .370/.452/.537 (20-54 AB) with three doubles, two homers, and nine RBI in 2023.
#ForTheA | @Braves https://t.co/RDAfdh5gZd
Ronald Acuna Jr., a three-time NL All-Star outfielder, told MLB Network in January of his confidence that he will no longer be affected by the lingering results of the injury. Through 13 games, he is proving to be fully recovered.
As important as Acuna's on-field efforts, just his presence in the dugout has spurred the Braves on this season. The 2018 NL Rookie of the Year is a five-tool player as well as the team's "spiritual leader" in terms of stoking the squad's competitive fire.
@MLBNetwork @Braves He’s healthy, he’s playing hard and hustling and he is taking what he is given at the plate and not swinging for the fences. Dude is balling and this is the version of Acuna that we have all been wanting to see. Love to see him win MVP.
twitter.com/mlbnetwork/sta…
MVP 🔜 twitter.com/mlbnetwork/sta… https://t.co/PIaDofXRWF
@MLBNetwork @LaytonSports @Braves Goated
Acuna, still just 25 years old, has only one MLB season of at least 150 games under his belt, when he tallied 156 games in 2019. He finished fifth in the NL MVP voting that season and won a Silver Slugger Award after hitting 41 home runs with a .280 batting average and scoring 127 runs with 101 RBIs. He led the NL with 37 stolen bases, falling just three steals short of joining the 40/40 club.
MVP type of numbers twitter.com/mlbnetwork/sta…
@MLBNetwork @Braves And 6 Stolen bases!!
And is on pace for over 70 steals… twitter.com/mlbnetwork/sta…
Acuna helped the Braves to the NL Championship Series in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and was on his way to challenging for the 40/40 club again in 2021 when he went down with the ACL tear and watched from the dugout as the Braves went on to win the World Series.
Best player on this earth twitter.com/mlbnetwork/sta…
@MLBNetwork @Braves 🐐
my guy on fire this year 🔥🔥🔥 twitter.com/mlbnetwork/sta…
While Ronald Acuna Jr. returned to the Braves lineup in late April for the 2022 season, he said that his surgically-repaired right knee continued to hamper him. However, he earned his third All-Star nod while hitting .266 with 15 homers and 50 RBIs in 119 games. The speed and the jump off the bases was noticeably missing though. He stole 29 bases, but was caught an NL-leading 11 times.
He’s back!!!!! twitter.com/mlbnetwork/sta…
A healthy Ronald Acuna Jr. is a powerful weapon for the Atlanta Braves
Ronald Acuna Jr. finished fifth in the NL MVP voting in 2019, after placing 12th in the MVP balloting during his rookie season. If he keeps this pace up, he would be a near shoe-in to win the 2023 MVP.