“I play hard, no matter what happens” - Ronald Acuna Jr. brushes off injury concerns as reigning MVP gears up for regular season
Ronald Acuna Jr. wants to win it again for the Atlanta Braves as he takes on spring training with his teammates. The reigning MVP has pushed away concerns about his injury as he feels ready to compete.
The Braves superstar is looking forward to being in the opening day lineup. His right knee discomfort will not stop him from progressing. Acuna experienced discomfort while attempting to steal a base against the Minnesota Twins. However, it hardly took time for the slugger to recover.
The 26-year-old stated that he plays hard no matter what happens.
"I play hard, no matter what happens. Every day, I play hard. It’s what I do,” Ronald Acuna told the New York Post.
Acuna is ready for the regular season, but the Braves have the final call. The franchise might want to take things slow since they do not want to risk another injury to their star player.
“I’m feeling great. I’m feeling like nothing happened, they will tell me when I can play,” Acuna continued.
Despite a minor setback, Acuna is ready for opening day.
Ronald Acuna aims to raise the bar for the upcoming season
Acuna's contribution to the Braves is significant. The slugger is aiming to beat his record from last season. Acuna set a new record with 73 stolen bases and 41 home runs in 2023. Crossing that threshold will be a tough challenge, but the talented player is not ready to hold back.
“I’m trying to be better than last year,” Acuna said.
The Braves are a dominant team in the NL East, and Acuna is a key piece in their lineup. It's worth noting that Ronald Acuna won unanimously against Mookie Betts in the MVP race. His excellent performance has helped the Braves reach the postseason.
With his injury out of the way, fans could see more action and stolen bases from Acuna for the upcoming MLB season. The Braves are stacked, and spring training seems to be going well with top players in good shape. Acuna is also predicted to be one of the top five competitors in home runs.