“The show stopper Ronny J!” - Fans go wild as MVP winner Ronald Acuña Jr. stuns in all-black ensemble with custom diamond chain at BBWAA dinner
Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. received his NL MVP Award on Saturday evening at the Baseball Writers' Association of America dinner in New York. The Venezuelan outfielder was elite in 2023 and his outfit for the BBWAA dinner received almost as much attention as his on-field performances.
A clip made the rounds on Instagram of Acuña and fans were quick to compliment the superstar on his style, which was an all-black assemble and a diamond chain.
One fan called him:
“The show stopper Ronny J!”
Calls of MVP rang out online for the Braves' four-time All-Star.
After thanking the media, his teammates and family, Acuña Jr. put the MLB on warning for 2024:
“I’m just getting started with what I can do in this sport,” Acuña said. “I’m feeling stronger, faster and healthier than ever.”
Ronald Acuña Jr. and the Braves could benefit from the media spotlight shining on the Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers spent huge money on Shohei Ohtani ($700 million), Yashinobu Yamamoto ($325 million) and Teoscar Hernandez ($23.5 million) in free agency. They also traded for and extended Tyler Glasnow on a $136.5 million deal via the Tampa Bay Rays.
While this represents a serious threat to the Atlanta Braves' World Series ambitions, it does take the media spotlight off them somewhat. The Dodgers will be heavily scrutinized, which should take some of the pressure off Atlanta in 2024.
The benefits of being able to quietly go about your business cannot be understated in sports, and the Braves have an uber-talented roster that can beat anybody. After a tremendous season where they went 104-58, Atlanta will be looking to repeat their regular season dominance.
While they were disappointed after crashing out in the NL Division Series to the Philadelphia Phillies in four games, the team can learn from that experience and use it in 2024.
It will be interesting to see how far Ronald Acuña Jr. and the Braves can go in a season where the Los Angeles Dodgers will bear the brunt of the media's attention.