MLB Twitter reacts to Ronald Acuna Jr.’s spirited Venezuelan League home run celebration: "Please make this a regular thing" "I love all of it"
Ronald Acuna Jr. is undisputedly one of Major League Baseball's most exciting talents. The Atlanta Braves outfielder combines five-tool talent with five-star flair. Baseball has not seen as much of Acuna Jr. in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and his own various injuries.
The 25-year-old superstar has played in 247 out of 384 regular season games from 2020-2022 since he appeared in 156 out of 162 contests in 2019.
Most MLB fans are hoping for a big 2023 from Acuna Jr., and from what happened Thursday night in Venezuela, Acuna Jr. is also ready for the new season.
Ronald Acuna Jr. gave what could be lightly termed an "exuberant celebration" after smacking a fourth-inning home run in a Venezuelan League game. It merely tied the score in a game that his Tiburones de La Guaira team went on to lose, but video of the event quickly circulated on the web and had fans ready to see the spirit come to their own major league ballparks in the upcoming season.
Ronald Acuna Jr. was the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year. In 2019, he earned the first of his three All-Star appearances to date, won the first of his two Silver Slugger Awards, led the NL with 37 stolen bases, and hit 41 home runs to claim his first 30/30 Club nod. While doing this, he has also become well known for his enthusiastic brand of play, and has never met a celebration he hasn't liked.
Of course, not everyone is enamored by Ronald Acuna Jr.'s antics. More than a few fans found his exuberance to be disrespectful and unsportsmanlike. Fans' opinions doesn't always seem to be divided between those that root for him and the Braves, and those that root against them. There are Atlanta fans who wouldn't mind Acuna Jr. toning it down a bit.
Ronald Acuna Jr. retired from Venezuelan League after Thursday night's game
Ronald Acuna Jr. did retire from Venezuelan League play after Thursday night's game. Did the home run celebration create the need for him to leave the league, or was the celebration a final goodbye to winter ball in his native Venezuela?
Either way, the next time we see a celebration anywhere near approaching Thursday's antics will likely be in a major league ballpark. The reaction of a rival team's pitcher to Acuna Jr.'s next enhanced home run celebration remains to be seen.